Hope Not Lost
by Mimic-My-Howl
Summary: "Do you think we can do it? Do you think we can save them?" Hermione hesitated before responding to him. "If anyone can figure a way to do it, it's you, Harry." Harry, Hermione, and Ron get a second chance at the war that plagued their lived for seven long years...a second chance to save the ones they love. How will they do things, now that they know how things ended once before?
1. Chapter 1

12 Grimmauld place saw 3 tired and worn out adults rise from their beds once more, hours before the sun rose-as was their normal routine, still, two months after the war had ended.

Their bodies might not be as old as most, only 18 years old, but mentally, they were wiser, and more grown up, than most any other witch or wizard you might find. This of course is with good reason, none had been through more than Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter.

So it was understandable, that they were often prevented from having a good night's sleep by the nightmares that would not be kept at bay.

They each knew that the others did not sleep well. Though none knew the particulars of what each saw when they closed their eyes, the three friends knew why Grimmauld place was so eerily quiet in the mornings.

With lead feet, each made their way downstairs to the kitchen. Harry took it upon himself to begin cooking breakfast. He could, if he wanted to, ask either Kreacher Dobby, who both survived the war and the final battle that ended it and now served the most noble house of potter dutifully and faithfully, to make breakfast for them. But Harry liked doing it himself, so he might have a few minutes to himself facing away from the others to calm his expression, and the house elves knew that. So they made themselves busy elsewhere in the house in the early hours of the morning, cleaning, repairing, doing laundry, tending to Hedwig and Crookshanks, or otherwise, until the trio was finished eating.

While Dobby and kreacher were making themselves sparse, and Harry was making breakfast, Ron handed Hermione a tissue, and began to fix a cup of tea for her, because he knew it helped to calm her nerves and shaking hands. And Hermione began to fix a cup of hot chocolate for both of the boys. For Ron, because she knew it helped to warm him up after he had inevitably woken up in a panic induced cold sweat. For Harry, because she knew it was one of the few things that made him feel closer to someone he'd lost, and brought one of his rare happy memories to mind.

When the drinks were ready Hermione and Ron sat down at the table to wait for Harry, who joined them a few minutes later when the breakfast was finished. Most mornings the three ate silently, and then calmer and put together enough that they could be their old, unburdened selves once more, headed upstairs to get ready for the day. This of course took Harry slightly longer than the rest, because he had a nearly 3 month old godson to get ready as well.

The end of Voldemort had not immediately meant the end of the war. Some of the more brazzen and brave death eaters had staged attacks. After seeing the dark lord come back once before, none wanted to be caught betraying him a second time, and so remained loyal, or afraid. Either way, these attacks did not last long.

The auror department began to rebuild itself, with Harry at the head replacing the death eater that had been head auror. With larger numbers, it became easier to arrive at the attacks early on, before too much damage had been done, and apprehend those responsible. After a couple of weeks word caught wind that Harry potter had helped to put nearly half a dozen death eaters in azkaban, and the rest went into hiding.

Unfortunately, before the attacks had come to an end, one took place in diagon alley the day that Harry was meeting his godson, Teddy, and his godson's grandmother, Andromeda Tonks, for some lunch. He assured that they were both safe, before running into the fray. Andromeda Tonks, who had already lost so much of her family to the war, could not lose anymore, and so she placed Teddy in the arms of the nearest elderly shopkeeper, and she too ran to fight.

Harry, young, quick, and experienced left the battle with a few wounds that would need to be treated in hospital. They same could not be said for Andromeda Tonks, who, though experienced, was no longer as young and agile as she had once been. And so, Hary become his godson's legal guardian, and Teddy became apart of the Trio's new normal.

Normally, did not come true on this morning. A few minutes after they'd begun eating, the feeling of their skin and blood being ice cold returned to the boys. They were caught off guard by this feeling returning so soon after finishing their hot chocolates. This feeling, chased away by their warm drinks, usually did not return until the next morning.

Nonetheless, after a moment or two each the boys rose from the table and set about preparing a second batch of their normal remedy for this problem. It was this unexpected movement that drew Hermione's eyes to them to see what the matter was, eyes that widened in panic and shock at what she saw in front of her.

"Harry...Ron, what's happened to your hands?"

Both boys looked down at her comment and saw something worrisome, something very different from what hermione saw, but still, worrisome regardless.

Hermione saw a bright white light, which did not actually bring any additional light into the room, covering Harry and Ron's hands from her view, and slowly making its way up their arms.

Both Harry and Ron, did not see this light, they just saw their hands, except their hands looked faded. The longer they looked, the more faded they became, until their arms, also now beginning to fade, ended at their wrists.

They looked up at Hermione in shock, only too see the same white light that she saw surrounding them, now surrounding her.

" 'Moine! Your hands've gone all white," Ron shouted out in shock!

She looked down at her hands, and saw them fading, just as the boys had seen a moment ago.

"What's happening to us" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Here. Come 'ere, both of you. Lock arms with me."

Harry's command was met with hurried movements across the room, and a frantic rush to link elbows, before their elbows were gone also.

Now standing side by side, Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited with bated breath to see what would happen when they'd completely faded from view. As the white light covered the last of their now indistinguishable forms from view, Hermione felt a somewhat familiar, but also entirely new, tugging sensation. Unaware that the two boys were also feeling the same thing, she cried out in fear of what would happen next.

"HARRY-!"

But they were gone before she could finish her sentence, leaving behind a warm breakfast and shards of empty mugs on the kitchen floor.


	2. Chapter 2

Falling, falling, and still falling further. They were falling for a very long time, until suddenly they found themselves sprawled out on the ground-their knees having buckled from the force of the landing.

They separated as they fell, and getting back to their feet stumbled, alone in the dark, over the uneven ground and the large tree roots coming out of the ground. The dark and the silence of the forest settled around them, and fear crept in.

Harry was first to call out to his friends, in fear for their safety. Fearing that he had somehow dragged them into another deadly confrontation with an unknown foe.

"Ron! Hermione! Are you there?"

A beat later he heard "Harry! Is that you," echoed back to him from far away, and relief washed over him?

"Ron! Where are you?"

"I'm in a forest, but I can't see you...I can't hardly see anything! How 'bout you?"

"Me either, I-"

"Harry! Ron! Is that you," questioned a female voice they knew all too well?

"Hermione," They chorused at once!

"Where are you," asked Ron?

"Same as you I think, we've all been separated in a forest by the sounds of things."

"Okay, so next steps...any ideas?"

Ron was as helpful as ever, and if the situation wasn't so worrisome the other two would be laughing.

"Has anyone thought to cast lumos?"

Silence followed the witches question, and she had her answer.

"Of course not, well I'd say that's definitely our first step," said Hermione. before she muttered "It's a miracle the two of you ever made it as far as you did in Hogwarts, I swear," under her breath.

The three teens cast the spell, and each was met with disappointment-it was a new moon. With the late hour, the lack of moonlight, and the thick wood and dense canopy above them, the light each was now casting from their wands was practically the only light provided to them. All it helped them see was that they were immediately surrounded by densely packed trees on all sides, no more than a foot away in any given direction-it was a miracle that none of them had landed on top of a tree.

"We ought' to regroup, do you two think that you could follow the sound of my voice and get here" Harry asked?

"Keep talking and we'll certainly try," said Hermione.

"...What do you want me to say?"

"I don't really think it matters mate," came Ron's ever so helpful reply. Harry could hear the tone of his voice and knew, though he could not see Ron, he knew that there was a slightly mocking grin on his face.

"Alright, erm...how about those chudley cannons?"

"Oh for godric's sake."

_Of course he decided to talk about quidditch, _thought Hermione.

* * *

Harry proceeded to awkwardly stumble his way through a _very_ one sided conversation. After only a few minutes of which, Hermione had become exasperated with all conversation topics, and had to bite her tongue so that they might continue to make their way to Harry. All the while Ron was having a laugh at them. To his credit it was nice to see someone other than himself making a fool of themselves.

They found their way to one another through the dense wood. Instantly, each checked the other two over for any obvious wounds, and when none were found, you could see three sets of shoulders sag with relief, which was quickly followed by a look of confusion and worry settling over three faces.

"What do you reckon that was" Harry asked?

"A port key?"

"Oh don't be ridiculous Ronald, portkeys are much quicker than that, instantaneous."

"Well then wha' d'you reckon it was 'mione?"

Hermione frowned, she did not know the answer to that question.

"Well...it did sort of feel like a portkey, but it also felt different, a little bit like...well, like...Harry?"

"Yea, I know what you mean Hermione, but I don't know...that wouldn't make much sense...I mean we weren't using one when it happened."

"Yes, well we weren't using a portkey either, were we?"

"What're you too on about," demanded Ron. He was sometimes slowest to catch on when it came to solving problems while they were on the run, and he didn't like the feeling it brought on. He didn't like feeling left out and confused by his friends, it wasn't his fault they figured things out faster than he did, it was just sometimes a little bit harder for him to see that whole picture than it was for them.

He knew that they didn't do it on purpose, but he sometimes wished that they'd make more of an effort to explain things to him, if they'd just go a little bit slower… But then again, the hadn't really had time to go slowly in the last year, and he supposed that this was another one of those situation where they were on a bit of time crunch, so perhaps it was for the best after all.

"Well, I was just thinking that, and Harry seems to agree with me, that aside from feeling a little bit like we were using a portkey, whatever it was that just brought us here felt a bit like using a time turner."

There was a pause as Hermione's words, and the implications they wrought sunk in, not just for Ron, but for Harry and Hermione as well. Neither of them had said the words yet, afraid to admit their suspicions. It was startling what that might mean, but it simple couldn't be possible.

"But… we weren't using one when it happened… we didn't even have one on us."

"Well, we might've had on on us, but still-"

"What? Hermione wha' d'you mean that 'we might've had one on us'?"

"If you wouldn't mind not interrupting me Harry, I'm getting there. I thought it might come in handy on our hunt, only in the case of _absolute emergencies,_ of course, so I went to McGonagall before we left and asked if I might have the one I returned at the end of third year back, and I haven't returned it to her yet. But as I was saying, that's still irrelevant either way, because that's not how they work. None of us turned the hour glass, so we couldn't have gone back in time."

Ron hesitated, not wanting to point out the obvious, but decided in the end to say something, because if even he knew that they were in trouble, they needed to get moving quickly.

Ron, like the other two, was quickly settling back into the mindset that had followed them around like a shadow during the last seven years. It was the mindset of three people at war, trying to solve one problem after another, after another, after another, until somebody won, and trying to keep themselves and their loved ones alive all the while.

With this mindset settling around him, he knew that they had to start trying to figure out what was going on and how they could fix it right away, they didn't have time for fear and denial.

"Erm… 'Mione, I'm not sure if you noticed… But it's night."

"Yes, I'm aware of that Ronald, what's your point?"

"Well… It's the middle of the night."

"And?"

"... It was morning when we left… So it's not the same time for us now as it was a few minutes ago… And that means that-"

"That could easily be explained away if we're in a different time zone, no need to jump to conclusions."

"But you were the one that said-"

"Yes I know what I said, but that doesn't mean-"

"Will you two please stop, I know you both love a good row, but there are about a million more important things that we could be doing right now."

Hermione let out a huff of frustration, Harry was right, of course, arguing that she was right was not the priority right now-even though she was. They had no idea what had happened yet, but there was no way to know for sure whether or not the theory that had been suggested was true or not.

She really hoped it wasn't. She really, really hoped, with everything she had, this it was nothing as complicated and scary as that. But, none of them knew for sure. So, as much as a part of her wanted to remain in the dark about what had happened, finding out had to be their first priority.

After casting a quick tempus, she said "It's about three thirty, only a few minute past the time it was when we were pulled away. We have at least a few hours before the sun rises, maybe more depending on...well depending. It won't do us any good to wander around an unknown forest in the dark while it's the middle of the night. We all ought to try and get a little more sleep while we can, and we'll figure out what to do next in the morning."

"It's still an unknown forest, Hermione, like you said. We don't know where we are, or what's just happened. I don't think it'd be particularly wise for us all to let our guard down. I'll take watch until sun up and wake you guys if anything happens."

Hermione frowned at this response, Harry was right, of course, about her plan having a flaw, but it didn't seem fair that he would miss out on sleep, while Ron and herself rested, especially when she knew that he was most certainly more exhausted than them-he had a new born baby that kept him up at night, after all, and she suspected that the nightmares affected him the most.

"Harry, I really don't think-"

"It's just a couple of hours Hermione, it's okay, really," he insisted, knowing exactly what she was going to say next.

She continued on anyways.

Hermione Granger was nothing if not determined, and stubborn when it came to taking care of her loved ones.

"But that's not fair to you, Harry, you should get some rest too," she said with a frown.

"It's fine, Hermione, I really don't mind, I promise."

Her frown deepened, but she saw that he would not move on this-the need felt by herself and Ron to take care of the people they cared about was surpassed only by Harry, who had lost more than anyone she knew and was determined not to lose anyone else.

So, with a curt nod, she turned and walked to the nearest tree, sitting on the ground next to it, and settling against it, getting as comfortable as she could for what was sure to be one of the quickest, and least restful naps she'd ever had. When Ron came and settled against the tree next to her, she repositioned, so she was lying on the ground with her head in his lap.

The three of them had found that sleeping in the same bed minimized the effect of the nightmares, as much as was possible. But that obviously would not be happening tonight, and it seemed that this was the closest she would get.

* * *

The night came and went, and harry's position did not change. Standing straight as a rod, wand clenched tightly in his fist, he stood unmoving in front of his friends, ready for a fight, scanning the trees in front of him. His eyes moved to the left, then to the right, and back again.

The sun rose, and hours later came Hermione and Ron. Only now, as Ron stood up and placed his Hand on Harry's shoulder, did Harry finally relax his position and turn to look at his friends. This, Harry noted with a mixture of happiness and guilt, was the first night in nearly a year that they woke up after sunrise. Though it was undoubtedly still early, only a relatively short time after the break of dawn, this was considered sleeping in for the trio.

While Hermione yawned, stretched, and got to her feet, Ron gave a small tired smile, breaking Harry from this train of thought, and showing how worn out he was, and how little rest they got last night. Harry of course was no exception, more than a little worse for wear himself. Worse in fact, Ron thought, for having stayed awake all night anticipating an attack that never came. Harry had bags under his eyes, and Ron could see that his nerves were shot.

Ron felt bad for his friend, and briefly thought that Hermione was right-Harry should not have been the only one to take up a watch shift. But before he could say anything about Harry not taking the next one, Hermione cocked her head to the side.

"Do you hear that?"

The boys paused for a moment, listening.

"What're you on about Hermione? I don't hear anything," Ron answered?

"No, hush up Ron, I think...I think I hear it to."

Ron frowned in frustration, but still asked "What is it,"?

"I'm...I'm not sure, but it's getting louder...coming towards us I think," hermione responded, trying to puzzle out the sound.

"Quickly, both of you, up into the trees," Harry ordered.

Off the three of them went, clambering up and up and up, until they were just a few feet under the canopy. They waited, barely breathing for fear that whatever was coming this way might hear them, even this high up. No more than two or three minutes later, it became very clear that the noise moving towards them had been hooves...the hoof beats of a herd of centaurs.

It seemed that they were chasing something...or running from something. Without knowing exactly what was going on wherever it was they'd ended up it was hard to say for sure, but the centaurs were definitely distracted.

Had they been focused on their surroundings, Harry knew, their enhanced hearing would not have missed the sound of three galloping heart beats. Nor would they have missed the sound of three adults gasping in shock as the herd came in to view, running with skill through the densely packed forest, not running into a single tree or branch, or tripping over a single rock or tree root.

It was the kind of grace that only came with practice and four legs, Harry decided.

Only once they were sure the herd had passed, did they speak again.

"Do you think that they've passed? No that it isn't nice up here, but my hands are starting to cramp, I'm not sure how much longer I can hold on," complained Ron.

"I'm sure it's safe to get down now, but one of us ought to climb a little higher first I think, see what exactly it is that we're working with here, maybe even get an idea of exactly where we are," reasoned Hermione.

"Brilliant Hermione, absolutely brilliant. I suppose it doesn't matter who goes, we're all already so high up that a another five feet won't make a difference. Be right back," Harry said, and before either could protest, he was moving up, up, up again, until he breached the canopy layer.

The first thing he saw, was blue. Harry had been up for nearly seven hours, and yet he had not yet saw the daytime sky, he realized, for the first time, as his head rose above the trees. It was a cloudless day, and the sky was a bright sunny blue. Avoiding the blinding light of the sun, Harry slowly lowered his eyes and looked around him.

The forest went on for a very long time, but Harry could, just barely, see the edge of it. And just beyond the forest's edge, was a small wooden structure. Harry struggled to see what it was from this distance, he thought it looked a little bit like...but no...it couldn't be. Harry slowly, looking for another structure for confirmation, turned his head to the left, and yes...there it was.

Harry climbed down in a panic, as fast as he could, rushing all the way down to the ground. He did not even stop to respond to Ron and Hermione when they asked what happened. Nor when they shouted after him as he passed them while they hurried to climb down after him, trying to catch up and figure out what was the matter.

The second his feet his the soil, he was off running. Running as fast as his legs would carry him, in the direction that he had seen the forest's edge. They were deep in the forest, and he had a long way to go, but he could not pace himself, not after what he'd seen, and not now that he thought the possibility they had all been avoiding might be true.

Harry was, thankfully, generally a very fast person, and so he had no trouble with the distance, soon pulling ahead of his friends. Having the body of a seeker, having eaten well for most of the last couple of years thanks to Hogwarts and Mrs. Weasly, and having been on the _literal_ run for the vast majority of the last year, was paying off it seemed.

When he began to see a trail forming, and the trees thinning out, he started to climb another tree, shouting back to the other two to tell them what he was doing and to tell them not to go on any further until he was on the ground with them again.

He broke the canopy a second time and saw… yes, there it was… a small wooden hut, with smoke curling up from the chimney, that the trio was very familiar with. And a little ways further from the forest, to the left of the hut, was a tree that did not like being hit. And to the left of that was hulking form of one very recognizable, impossible to ignore or confuse, Hogwarts.

Fully intact.

* * *

Harry sat for a moment, panting at the top of the tree, taking it all in. Once he'd caught his breath, and he could hear that Hermione and Ron had done the same on the ground below him, he poked his head back down for a brief moment and shouted down to them

"You guys might need to come up here and see this, just...prepare yourselves."

Ron and Hermione shared a worried glance, those words did not bode well, before scurrying up two trees near enough to the one Harry was sitting in. Harry was watching his friends and their reactions rather than his surroundings as the broke through the canopy, so he saw Hermione's face pale as the blood left it, and heard Ron's strange mix of a gasp and a squeak as they laid eyes on the building that had been their home for so many years.

"But that...that can't be possible, we were here just a few days ago, helping with repairs, and the castle is still months off from looking how it used to. You saw! You were both there, you saw it! You saw it," Hermione insisted.

She was right, in a way, they had been among the first to sign up for assisting with the castle repairs. They'd been there only a few days ago, and it certainly had not look like it did now, like it was...untouched. It was eerie, Harry thought. He was not pleased with how the castle looked at present, he thought that it was, at least partially, his fault after all. He hated to think how he had helped to destroy something that meant so much to him. But it was what it was, and they were working to rebuild, all of them. Together.

Those were two ideas that he was used to, destruction and rebuilding. This...this castle was neither of those things, it was untouched, and eerie, and...unnatural. It was unnatural to see the castle in this state when it simple should not have been possible. Unless-

"What if our yesterday's not really… _Yesterday _anymore though?"

Ron took the words right out of his mouth.

No one said anything for a moment, afraid to be the next one to speak, Hermione thought. It was a possibility they'd been dancing around since they had disappeared from the kitchen of number 12 Grimmauld Place. And they'd all thought about it on their own, outside of conversations, sinc landing here, she was sure of it. But, they'd not been brave enough to say it aloud until now, and certainly not as bluntly as Ronald had put it. The air was tense and charged, and nobody wanted to speak next, or break the silence that had settled around them.

Oh well, it would do them no good to sit in a couple of trees in silence, so, seeing that neither of the boys would be opening their mouths any time soon she said "Well, we can't very well plan what to do next until we figure out certain… factors. Perhaps we ought to find somebody...somebody we can trust and get some information from about… About _when_ exactly we are, and what's happening."

Her suggestion was met with the briefest moment of silence, until Harry put forth a name, and Hermione wondered why she had thought there was ever another possibility.

"Dumbledore."

* * *

The walk up to the castle was longer than they each remembered, likely because off the anticipation that had been placed on it. Anticipation that was, apparently, sorely misplaced. It turned out that the castle doors were locked. The doors had never been locked, in all their years at hogwarts, as far as any of them knew. Aside from that one time Sirius had broken out of Azkaban and into Hogwarts, of course, and nothing like that had ever happened before their third year, so they could not think of a single reason why they might be locked now.

"Well, there is one person we could ask," suggested Ron timidly.

"Who? I don't see anyone on the grounds, do you? Everyone must be inside the castle, and we can't get it there," Hermione complained, with a stomp of frustration to prove her displeasure. It was petulant, and she knew it. But if any situation allowed for a little bit of frustration, she was sure, this was it.

"Well, all of the teachers and students might be in the castle, but I think we passed a certain hut on the way here, and we all know who lives there."

Hermione sighed, and hit her face with the palm of her hand.

"Of course! You're absolutely right Ronald! Hagrids not lived in the castle since he was a student here, and he's been gamekeeper and lived in that hut ever since _you-know-who_ got him expelled when they were children. He might not have all the information that they needed, be he would most certainly know who to contact the people who would."

They went back the way they came, with less anticipation than before, lest they be disappointed again. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on the perspective, disappointment was not what greeted then when they arrived at hagrid's hut.

The three stepped forwards, and after a brief hesitation by the trio-wondering who would be the one to knock-Harry stepped forwards and rapped his knuckles on the rickety wooden door. The sound that immediately greeted them was fang's familiar bark. This was quickly followed by the hushing of conversations that had been taking place in the background, and shuffling feet.

The absence of one, particularly familiar barking voice that had been present a moment before, was startlingly noticeable to the trio. Unluckily, Harry made the connection only as the door opened, and the face of a young redhead filled with shock and alarm, as Harry gasped in shock and his face immediately paled.

"James dear, why is there a boy at Hagrid's front door who looks just like you," asked the voice of one young, and very much alive, Lily potter.

* * *

**A.N.** And that's the end of chapter two. First off, for those of you who missed it, I went back to the last chapter and made some minor edits. It's nothing major, I just realized that I forgot to mention Teddy, in like _any_ context, and I made a kinda big change with him, so I went back and added in like two paragraphs for that. On another note, I've got the next week off school, so I'm hoping to have the next chapter finished and uploaded by the end of this week. I'm actually kind of excited to write the next chapter? But like, I'm also terrified it'll be awful and riddled with cliches, and I'm trying really hard not to do that with this fanfiction. That's actually why I was so scared to post a potter fic-I've wanted to post like five different fics for months now, but I wanted to do the ideas justice. I was actually planning on getting this chapter out much sooner, but it just wasn't coming out right, and I wanted to do the ideas _justice._ Still not sure I'm happy with it, but the majority of this story will be quickly edited first drafts, so I figured for one of those, it's not that bad. On that note, constructive criticism is always welcome, and be kind to each other in the comments section.


	3. Chapter 3

Following Lily's question, no one spoke a word, or moved a muscle. There was only complete and total ringing silence, and then several things happened all at once. The sound of bodies rushing and feet scuffling could be heard as James, Sirius, and Remus hurried to the door. Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione both drew their wands on instinct and cast a protego duo around themselves and a very pale faced Harry, who stood with his mouth slightly agape and was frozen, probably in shock, but it might have been in fear, or possibly both.

"Who the bloody hell are you" demanded Sirius Black.

"For now, I'm afraid that's none of your business," was Hermione's curt reply.

James whipped his head 'round to give her a cold glare. Two of his best mates and the love of his life were in this room, he didn't care if she thought it was there business to know or not, nothing else was going to happen until he figured out what was going on here.

"The _boy,_" James seethed, pointing angrily in Harry's direction while still starring Hermione down, "Looks just like me, so I'd say that it is, in fact, _my business. _So I'll thank you to lower your wands and introduce yourselves, before we hex the lot of you."

Hermione and Ron hesitated, they were outnumbered, but just barely, and already had two very strong shields in place protection the three of them. They could hold their own if it came to blows, at least for a few minutes, they were sure of it. They weren't, however, particularly fond of dueling with Remus and Sirius, who were like family to them, or Harry's parents, who they had never held anything but respect for.

It felt a little bit, in Hermione's mind, like talking back to a teacher, like she was breaking a rule that she'd always understood and agreed with, and it made her stomach churn.

Hermione and Ron looked to Harry, to see what he was thinking, if he had an inkling as to what to do, only to see that he had not yet broken eye contact with Lily, who was beginning to look a tad uncomfortable. Ron nudged Harry gently with his elbow-while keeping his wand raised, just in case-attempting to draw him out of whatever trance he was in, and Harry gasped for air.

Had he not been breathing all that time? _Bloody hell,_ thought Ron, looking over at his friend, _he's white as a sheet. He looks like he's just seen a ghost-wait… Well, at least he's breathing again, _thought Ron, feeling more than a little uncomfortable with where his thoughts had taken him.

"Names," demanded James in a yell, breaking this new stretch of silence. "Give us your names, I mean it, or we'll send all three of you to St. Mungo's. I don't care if you're strangers, or how much _he_ looks like me-"

"Except for my eyes," Harry said on instinct, breaking his gaze with his mother and looking to James before continuing on, "I've got my mother's eyes," he finished.

This time is was James who gasped in surprise, because this boy looked just like him, except he had Lily's beautiful green eyes, which was...not possible. James shoved the shock away, and gripped his wand a little tighter, swallowing his fear with a loud gulp. Because yes, he _was_ afraid, but he would not let this boy shake him...whatever this boy was, _whoever_ he was, it was unnatural, and James would not allow him to hurt his family.

But Harry missed the progression of emotions that crossed his father's face, as he was no longer focussed on James. After he'd finished speaking, he broke eye contact with James as well, and allowed his eyes to flicker of Remus and Sirius, focussing a little longer on the later, on the man who a young Harry had once thought would be his _home._

His heart and his head were both so full. Full of thoughts and feelings, warring with each other, that Harry could not completely comprehend. It was, thanks to these distractions, that Harry missed it as his father came to a realization, and as that realization settled over his father's face. Hermione and Ron, who were looking at Harry in concern, also missed it.

So the three teens were unprepared for James fired a Stupefy at them.

The sound that was made, as the stunning spell rebounded off of the shields was loud as thunder, and shocked the three teens back to life. They all ducked on instinct, looking like a single unit as they dodged and hit the ground. It was only as they rose buck to their full heights, that their movements were diversified.

Harry, threw his hands up in the air, to show that he meant no harm, while Ron and Hermione raised their wands and took aim at James' chest and head respectively.

"Guys, put your wands down," said Harry.

"But-"

"We are invading their space, their time. They do not know who we are, where we came from, or what our intentions are, they have every right to be afraid and defend themselves," argued Harry.

Hermione frowned, disliking that they were giving people, who did not trust the trio, an advantage. But she knew Harry was right-keeping their wands up would get them nowhere, so she she lowered hers without complaint. Ron however, pocketed his wand with a scowl on his face, grumbling and muttering under his breath all the while.

James, who was more than a little upset that he had not landed his shot and the three teens remained unharmed, responded with "That's more like it," trying to sound in control, so as to regain some of his dignity.

_It's only because I was unprepared to be countered, _he argued in his head, _that I did not, luckily for them, cast a Stupefy strong enough to break through the shields._ He knew that he sounded like a child, but he couldn't help it. He was much better than he had been as a young hogwarts student, but still did not like being shown up so publically, especially but a potential threat.

"Now for your names," he said, trying to keep a firm grip on the situation.

"I'm Harry," was offered up first, and Ron and Hermione followed his lead, leaving out their last names.

_Mine wouldn't cause much trouble_, argued Hermione,_ but it would be suspicious if I gave mine and the boys didn't._

"I'm Hermione," she said next.

"And I'm Ronald, but just call me Ron," he finished.

"Last names too," James insisted.

"Err… I think it's best to leave it there for now, maybe later."

Jame's narrowed his eyes at Harry's response, as if he wasn't already suspicious enough, looking as much like James and Lily like he did, now he was refusing to give out their last names? They must've been up to something.

"What're you hiding from us," demanded James.

Harry winced in response, and said "I don't think you realize what a complicated question that is. I know that you don't trust us, it's understandable and I don't expect you to, but for now, we'll have to keep somethings to ourselves, for our safety and yours," Harry responded.

"Is that a threat" sneered Sirius?!

"NO! No no no no no no no, absolutely not. I - We don't want to hurt you, I know we've done nothing to prove that, but we've done nothing to prove otherwise either, and I promise, _I promise you,_ that I only want to see you all safe, and happy… I'd do an- … Almost anything to make it happen," Harry rushed to explain. The idea that he might want to hurt these people, his family, although they did not know it, was ludicrous. It made Harry feel physically ill to think about causing them harm, especially knowing what their fates had been, and the roll he had played in them.

"Okay, it's okay...there there, let's all just take a deep breath, we all need to calm down a little," Lily said. Her husband and his two best friends cut eyes at her from her right for this request, while the three teens continued looking absolutely panicked in front of her. She had no idea what was going on, no more than the rest, but knew they would get nowhere making threats at one another and panicking, as the boy seemed to be.

She did not know who this boy was, but saw the tears in his eyes, and believed that they, at least, were real, and could be trusted. Ever the nurturer, she wanted to help make them go away.

"That's it, look, why don't we sit down, and try to come to an agreement. We know you can't tell us everything, just as I'm sure you'll understand we will refuse to tell _you_ everything, but surely we can find some common ground between your limitations and our demands for information, yea?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione paused, and looked at one another before responding, assuring that they were all on the same page. They needed these people to trust them, surely they could make that happen, while still withholding certain… Crucial bits of information.

"That would be lovely thank you Ms… ," Hermione responded politely, letting the ending of her sentence hang in the air for a moment, she knew who lily had ended up with to make Harry, but who knew if that was still the case, or yet the case? They really had no idea, not only of when they were, but what the more specific, mundane details may be surrounding certain circumstances may be now, seeing as none of them could remember living through these years the first time around. It was confusing, and hurt her head to think about it, and she decided she was _definitely _done with time travel after this.

"It's a Mrs. actually, Mrs. Potter,"Lily said with a grin, holding out her left hand, to show off her glittering engagement ring. "That oaf over there is my _deer_, husband," she continued with a grin, and a glance in James direction.

"James Potter," He introduced himself, sticking his hand out as far as his wand was, for the teens to shake. He hated to give them his last name, when they had not given theirs, but seeing as Lily had already gone and given it away for him… Well there wa really no point in trying to withhold it, and he couldn't very well be made at her for it either. His lovely Lily was so proud to be a Potter, _to be his wife,_ that she could not help but to boast, it made him swell with pride. No, he could not be mad at he for that… Although, if these people turned out to be untrustworthy, and it somehow came back to bite them in the arse that she'd told them.. Well no, even then he wouldn't be mad at her, he would probably be a little annoyed, and maybe a little frustrated, but not mad, never mad at her… Especially not for this.

"Sirius Black," said Harry's godfather next, with a scowl on his face. He was just as unhappy about the fact that they were apparently giving away their last names as James was. He was, however, unaware of James' reasoning for doing so, he did not realize he could withhold his last name if he wanted to, and so he followed James' lead.

Remus, actually, did not mind sharing his last name so much. His mum was a muggle, and his Dad was a nobody half blood, and he doubted that these three teens had access to the ministry's werewolf registry documents. What could his last name possibly tell them about him that would be crucial? Nothing, he decided, and so the werewolf introduced himself last with a simple, "Remus Lupin," and a suspicious look in the teens direction, before leading the way inside.

Entering the hut was bitter sweet. The familiarity of it, made them feel at home. But it was made all to clear to them that, just in case they'd forgotten, this was not _their_ home, when Hagrid greeted them with a glare and his crossbow, as opposed to his usual booming voice, tea, and a plateful of inedible rock cakes.

Still, the three teens moved to take their usual seats at his small table, and felt the nostalgia settle into their bones. This place was just as much their home as the Gryffindor common room, or the burrow was. Especially for Harry, who had never had a proper home until them, it felt good being back here again. It felt good, reassuring even, that the confrontation and questioning would occur here.

Harry waited for every one to finish getting settled before he started speaking. Eventually, Hagrid was sitting on his bed, and the adults were standing around the edge of the room watching the teens for any sudden movements, as there was no more seating in the small house.

Harry cleared his throat, and started what would prove to be a very awkward, and explosive conversation. "Before we get started, I wanted to ask, well I know it'll seem a very strange and unconventional question, but I was hoping that you might tell us the date?"

Lily and Remus, the most compassionate of the group, frowned, wondering what possible reason there could be for the teens not knowing the date.

Had they been captured and held captive for a period of time, so they were unaware of how much time had passes? It seemed the most logical explanation, but they showed no signs of it.

Had they had their memories modified, had certain bits of information important to the war effort obliviated, and perhaps the date had somehow gotten caught up with them? Possibly, or maybe it was something much worse?

Lily shudder at the thought, and Remus, following her train of thought, wrapped an arm around her shoulders in comfort and support.

James, only thinking of the protection of his friends and family, only grew more suspicious squinting his eyes at them in distrust. What kind of reason could there possibly for them to not know the date? None that he could think of. So, he concluded, they must have been pretending.

Sirius, ever the hot headed and impulsive Marauder with a short fuse, was following a train of thought very similar to James', and only grew more hostile, openly sneering and snarling at them, gripping his wand tight, ready for an attack.

Lily saw no harm in giving them that information, it was not crucial in any way, and so responded "It's June the first."

Harry cleared his throat once more, a little uncomfortable with having to ask the next question, because she had, of course, left out the most important part.

"And… And the year?"

Lily and Remus both became confused by this, and rose their eyebrows in questioning and surprise. If either one of these theories was right… These poor, poor children, and if they weren't right… What could have possibly happened to them?

Being confronted with thee thoughts was sobering for remus, who, though he did not often stand up to his friends and their actions, thought he might have to this time. It didn't mean that they had to trust the teens, but they had to remember that there were other victims of this war, not just the order of the phoenix.

"Guys, cummon… just lay off a bit." Remus said, with a glance to his left in the direction of James and Sirius, before looking back at the teenagers and swallowing thickly once more, before responding, "The year is 1979."

Harry, who had only just been regaining some colour in his face, instantly became pale again, and Hermione and Ron followed suit. Harry tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat, and turned to his friends, who trusted more than anything else in the world.

"Guys… Any ideas?"

They were, very unfortunately, for Harry, in just as much shock as he was. Ron couldn't seem to do anything other than shake his head, and Hermione was opening and closing her mouth, over, and over, and over again, with no sound coming out. Harry nodded his head in affirmation, it was not an ideal situation, but he'd have to manage on his own while they gathered themselves. Afterall, they'd done the same for him outside after he saw his dead mother, very much alive.

"Right, of course… Thank you… For answering I mean," Why was he so bad at this? He cleared his throat and tried again, "Erm...well I guess it's your turn to ask a question then.

"Where'd you come from?"

"That's easy enough to answer I suppose, a town house concealed in muggle London," Harry responded, leaving out the particular address, which he knew would only rile up James and Sirius again, both of whom had only just calmed down enough to stop glaring and out their wands away.

Not to mention the entirety of the room would either see it as a lie, and there for trust them less, which was counterproductive. Or they would all assume that the three teenagers were working with, or at the very least had some association, with the less pleasant members of the Black family, which would have the same result of counterproductive mistrust as the last possibility.

"How'd you get on the Hogwarts grounds? The gates won't open for you if you don't have permission to come onto the ground, and there's all kind of ward set up to prevent entrance anywhere else along the perimeter."

"I've no idea myself, one minute we were eating breakfast, and then the next we'd disappeared, and we were in the middle of a forest in the middle of the night. The forest, of course, turned out to be the forbidden forest, but we didn't know that at the time, and we didn't do anything to get here. In fact, none of us was casting any magic at all at the time we disappeared, honest."

"Likely story," harumped Sirius, with an eye roll to accompany it.

"Sirius," chastised Remus, before taking his turn to ask a question, before Lily could ask a third.

"Why come here? There can't be much of any use to you in Hagrid's hut, you don't even know him."

Well, they actually did know him, better even, than the marauders probably knew him, but no point in mentioning that, seeing as no one would believe him if he did.

"We went to the castle first, hoping to speak to Dumbledore, we thought if any one could help us, and would be willing to, it would be him, but the doors were locked, so we came here. We weren't sure what kind of help of information we'd be able to get here, seeing as Hagrid doesn't know us," _yet,_ Harry added in his head, which was technically correct, "but we were hoping we might at least be able to figure out why the doors were locked, and how to contact Dumbledore."

Sirius narrowed his eyes in suspicion, before braving up and taking a turn to ask a question of his own.

"Why Dumbledore, how do you even know who he is, or where to find him? On that note, how do you even know that the forest is called the forbidden forest? I mean you lot look about our age, and you never attended Hogwarts, so how could you know all that? And how could you trust Dumbledore and Hagrid, I know why I do, and why my friends do, but why do you?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, before responding - he had to be very careful with his words here, so as to remain truthful, without giving anything away, or saying anything that they might believe to be untrue.

"We're very close with some kids who used to attend hogwarts, when they were younger. They told us all kinds of stories about it. We trust them, with our lives, and they trust Dumbledore, so we trust Dumbledore as well," Harry finished with what he thought was a small, genuine smile. He only felt exhausted right now, but getting the Marauders, and Lily to trust them was the priority, so he couldn't let it show how exhausted he was.

On, and on the conversation went. The marauders and Lily asked countless questions, personal, and professional, to try and get to know the three teenagers, and to try and ascertain whether or not they could be trusted. Hagrid even had a few questions for them.

After a few minutes, Hermione and Ron had recovered from their shock at the fact that they were now existing in a year earlier than the one they'd been born into. And they immediately jumped into helping Harry to answer the questions, both following harry's lead of giving delicate half truths as answers.

The trio of course had some questions of their own, and though they'd planned on letting the, quite impromptu and informal, questioning finish first, Ron ran out of patience first, and blurted out "So erm… I'm not sure how to put this delicately, but we… Well, we heard, that you guys were having a bit of a situation with a wizard against all non-purebloods?"

Sirius snorted, "Understatement of the century, mate. The snake faced bastard we like to call _he-who-must-not-be-named_, or, if you prefer, _you-know-who,_ if you know who I mean, has been causing us a dragon shit sized load of problems."

Harry, who had never properly heard his godfather curse like that, could not help but grin. He had cursed and swore of course, but Harry could see now that he had been holding back on his profanity a great deal, likely because of Harry's age-trying to set a good example and all that.

"_He's brilliant,"_ whispered Harry under his breath.

Sirius still heard his though, and could not help but to respond with "Of course I am, I'm Sirius fuckin' Black!" And his sentence was, or course accompanied with a grin, a hair flip, and a wink in Hermione's direction. She barely stopped herself from laughing.

_If only he knew the number of years between us, _she thought. She could picture all to clearly the look of shock that would have fallen over older Sirius' face if she told him this story. It was really hilariously funny, until she realized that the Sirius they knew would never hear this story, none of the people in front of them would.

"Umm, I'm really sorry to interrupt, but we have a few… Shall we say concerns, and questions of our own you see. I'm sure you could answer them wonderfully, but we were hoping to talk them over with Dumbledore, and I'm afraid that they're rather urgent. So, if you have a way of contacting him, we'd would greatly appreciate you passing the method along to us."

"Woah woah woah, not so fast little witch. You three might have been very cooperative… So far that is, but we still don't know if we can trust you. You seem to be aware of our little war problem, so I'm sure you're also aware that Dumbledore is a very wanted man for the, _other side,_ right now. We're not just going to give you access to him until we know you're not going to try and hurt, or even kill him."

Sirius had a good point, but harry had a better one prepared, "Do you really think that three teenagers, around your age, who haven't yet attended Hogwarts, could even manage to give Dumbledore, the man who is widely regarded as one of the greatest wizards of all time, a paper cut? Let alone manage to seriously harm, or even kill him? Especially if he has forewarning from you lot?"

Sirius frowned at this, the boy might have been right… But Sirius didn't want to say so - Sirius _reall_y didn't like admitting that he was wrong, so he just kept quiet. Thankfully, Remus realized that Harry had a point as well.

Remus heaved a deep sigh, both in defeat, and in disappointment that he wouldn't be able to ask them anymore questions, and then responded "Yes we know where he is, no we won't tell you how to contact him. He's away on… Important business and, as his focus in needed there, I don't want to bother him, and I'm sure that my friends will agree with me. I'm sure that as soon as he is finished he will be returning to the castle, and we will show you to his office and introduce you then."

Harry sighed, and nodded in resigned acceptance, hearing his friends do the same to the left and right of him. They knew that they would get no further until Dumbledore was back from, what Harry was sure was, secret order business. And who knew when that might be, so the three wix settled in to get comfortable and wait a while.

Hagrid, the trio knew, had never had been the greatest at sitting quietly, or picking up on social cues indicating that a situation was awkward, or that a situation was anything else for that matter. But, he could make friends with the most harmless, useless plants and the most dangerous creatures you'd ever seen.

So they were not at all surprised that, after seeing that the danger had passed, Hagrid lasted all of five minutes before lowering his crossbow, picking up a plate, and trying to make small talk to pass the time; "Rock cake anyone?"

* * *

**A.N.** And that's the third chapter, I've got some mixed feelings about it. I feel like for what it is, by which I mean the amount of plot it covers, it's way to long. But in the past, when I've read back my writing it always seemed rushed, and I thought I was going at a good pace then, so I'm really trying to take my time here.

_AND, _I also think that you guys would prefer longer, (hopefully) better written chapters that move the story along less, as opposed to chapters which move the story along quickly and have lots of dialogue, but are shorter and written poorly.

On a more personal note, I was really excited to play around with the marauders and Lily, and start forming relationships between all of them and the trio, and between harry and his parents. Unfortunately I don't feel like I got to do very much of that this chapter, but I see lots of room for it soon. Not necessarily in the next chapter, because that will be Dumbledore and some extraordinary tales.

But definitely soon, because once we get all of these establishing chapters out of the way, and characters and setting and story are all set up and ready to go, I'm hoping to get a little bit more into dialogue and describing the actual story as opposed to their thoughts and reactions to things. Although, there will still be plenty of that to come, as I don't plan on having the trio be entirely forth coming with anyone, except maybe Dumbledore, right away.  
Dishonesty = revelations = reactions & drama!

Also, a really quick note, I had to go back and make _another_ edit to the first chapter. This time, I realized that I forgot to mention my decided fates for Kreacher, Dobby, and Hedwig, who are all, if you don't want to go back and find the two paragraphs I changed, alive. And that's all you really need to know about that, but if you want to go back and read the actual story edits, than they're there, just a heads up.

Sorry for the _super_ long author's note, I just really like sharing my thoughts with you guys.

As always, constructive criticism is welcome, and be kind to each other in the comments section,

-_H_.


	4. Chapter 4

**A. N. I'd like to give a shout out to Violet97mc, who has been ever so supportive and commented on every chapter thus far.**

**I've been thinking about doing a shout out like this every chapter, let me know what you think of that idea, longer A. N. can be found at the end of the chapter.**

* * *

They talked long into the day, becoming so engrossed in the conversation, that they didn't notice the time passing. Not as the sun rose, or set, did any of them realize how late it had gotten. Even then, it was only because Ron's stomach made a noise in protest of the fact that he'd only had a few rock cakes to eat all day long. Everyone laughed at that.

They'd not been talking about anything that was very important, both sides dancing around too many topics of conversation to connect on anything that mattered. But everyone was thankful for the reprieve that the situation offered.

For Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus, it offered an escape, a few moments to forget about the war and all the terrors that were coming with it. For Harry, Ron and Hermione, it was a chance to enjoy the company of people they thought that they'd never see again, and to ground themselves in preparation for whatever came next, because one things was sure, no boy knew what to expect from here on out.

When they finally did realize how late it had gotten, and Dumbledore still hadn't come to collect James and co. from Hagrid's hut, they began to wonder if he'd gone straight to the castle. Everyone decided to start making their way over to the castle, to see if the doors were unlocked and if they could manage to find Dumbledore, or, at the very least, some food.

The doors to the castle were unlocked, but nobody was around. Harry knew that he should have expected that, as it was summer break and all the students had gone home, and teachers had gone home, but it was just so… Empty. It was quiet, and Hogwarts was never quiet. This place, whose halls had been full of laughter and joy and shouting across hallways and classrooms for as long as he could remember, there was nobody here, no teachers, no students, nothing.

It was strange to say the least, and he just wanted to get up to Dumbledore's office as quickly as possible, but Ron insisted that he _needed_ to find some food first, so off they went to the kitchens. This, of course, only prompted Hermione to insist that she was going to get him a dictionary for christmas, so that he could learn what the word _need_ meant. Which in turn made Ron promise her that he'd get her a book on quidditch moves.

Once they'd reached the kitchens, they opened the passage and were immediately greeted by a handful of houselves. Harry explained that they'd come to see Dumbledore, but were hoping to get some food first, as it had been a tiresome day for the three of them, and then Ron and Hermione sent each other a frosty glare before heading to opposite side of the table the house elves seated them at.

Harry was grateful to see that, though they refused to sit next to one another, they were at least sitting across from one another, he wasn't sure he had it in him to pick a side in an argument over christmas gifts. Certainly not after they'd already had such a long day, doing the math quickly in his head he realized that it had been eighteen hours already, and they weren't even finished yet. No wonder his friends were so high strung, Harry himself was starting to feel a little bit tense.

This anxious feeling, and wound up energy, mostly prevented Harry and Hermione from eating, but nothing could stop Ron. Where Harry and Hermione only had a few bites of treacle tart and toast, respectively, Ron wolfed down some shepards pie, some pot roast, and some desert before he declared that he was full. Harry and Hermione each immediately grabbed one of his arms, rushed him up from the table, and began hurrying up to Dumbledore's office leaving Ron to catch up to them.

Hermione, of course, did not forget to thank the house elves on the way out of the kitchens

Even though Harry and Hermione had left the kitchens first, they all arrived at Dumbledore's office at the same time, thanks to Ron's lanky frame, just as Sirius was leaving the office. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, wondering how long they'd been standing outside the door for.

"I was just coming to find you three…" he said, letting the sentence trail off in questioning.

"Well then, we made it just in time. We would have been earlier, Harry and I finished eating a few minutes ago, but was had to wait for Ronald to eat half of the pantry and overwork those poor house elves before we could leave. Sorry we took so long, won't happen again."

Sirius raised any eyebrow at the young witch in confusion, and then looked to Harry for an explanation, who shrugged his shoulders and said, "She's probably the most responsible, punctual, studious person you'll ever met, but don't let that turn you off. She's determined, and loyal to a fault, even when I have a tendency to almost get her killed more often than not, plus she's saved my life more times than I care to admit. If you end up trusting us, and decide to stick around, you're gonna get a lot more of those long winded explanations and speeches, but they're worth it. Just, whatever you do, don't agree to join S. P. E. W." Harry said with a smirk at the end, and ducking to avoind Hermione's swinging arm which was aimed to smack him in the face. In that moment, with an all too familiar mischievous smirk on his face, he had looked entirely too much like his father, Sirius thought, though Sirius did not think _father, _unknowing that they were related.

Harry, having dodged Hermione's first blow, laughed as she pulled back for another, and danced away from her and onto the spinning gargoyle staircase that lead up to Dumbledore's office. Hermione ran after him, giving Sirius only a split second to move out of the way before she ran him over, and Ron followed afterwards shaking his head.

Sirius was more than a little confused, they seemed so genuine, so real. He didn't think that you could fake this kind of authenticity, the only people he'd ever seen who seemed closer were himself, James, Remus, and Wormtail. The idea that there were good, trustworthy, strangers still out in the world, at a time like this, was a little foreign to Sirius, but the decision wasn't his to make. That responsibility, thankfully, fell to Dumbledore, who Lily and the three Marauders present had been busy prepping while the three teens ate some dinner.

Sirius rushed up after the teens at that thought, remembering that he had to tell them the ground rules that Dumbledore had set out.

"Hey, woah woah woah, wait up!"

Catching up to them at the top of the stairs, just in front of the door that lead into Dumbledore's office, he just barely managed to stop before, knocking the girl into the wall. He didn't pause before reaching out, grabbing the door handle, and slamming the door shut that James' doppelganger had only just started to pull open.

"You can't go in there yet, not until I go over some ground rules that Dumbledore set," Sirius said, as he moved to stand in front of the door with his arms crossed. He would admit to no one that he was mimicking the muggle body guards he'd seen when he went out to bars in muggle London with James and Peter. Sirius Black was a perfectly intimidating person all on his own, thank you very much. He was the _Grim_ for fucks sake!

Harry stepped back from his godfather, and nodded his head respectfully. It was harder than he thought it would be, to pretend that he didn't know Sirius, almost as well as he knew himself. To pretend that they were strangers and to be nothing but polite.

Harry wanted to tell him how he thought he might love Ginny, and to ask Sirius for advice about girls. He wanted to grin at Sirius, and tell him how _he_, Harry Potter, would be one of the best godfather's ever, second only to Sirius himself. He wanted to call Sirius an idiot for going to the ministry of magic, and explain why Harry and his friends had gone at all. He wanted to tell Sirius about all that he'd done to complete the prophecy, and how he wished that Sirius had been there for all of it.

Harry didn't have a _clue_ where to even start, when it came to his parents.

He had been thinking about this non stop since they'd landed here, how he was supposed to behave, compared to how he wanted to behave. The struggle consistently weighed on his mind. But, for now at least, there was nothing he could do about it, so he put his hands in his pockets, leaned back a little putting his weight on his heels and the backs of his legs, raised his chin up, and tried his best to look at ease and relaxed.

He was, after all, completely okay with any ground rules they may set. He trusted these people with his life, and even if he didn't, the trio didn't really have a choice. They _needed _to James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Dumbledore to trust them, or they would get nowhere when it came to fixing the war in this time.

And he hadn't been her for long, but Harry already knew that it was what he wanted to do. He knew exactly what to do, and how to do it. If he ended this war now, for them, then they could live their lives, start their families, and none of them had to die.

He wasn't sure what he'd do afterwards, he was only beginning to adjust to the fact that the war _was _in fact, _over_ in his own time, when all this happened. Harry had never known what would be next for him after the war, for so long, that had been all that he was working towards.

Fighting Voldemort was all he knew, even before the war started.

He'd be lying if he said that he was excited to fight the war a second time, but he'd also be lying if he said that he wasn't looking forwards to this, his chance to help them all. To help his mum and his dad, Sirius, Remus, Fred, Tonks, Mad Eye, and everyone else they'd lost. He wouldn't let them down again, he just couldn't.

Apart of Harry thought he might mean that literally, because how could they possibly do any worse? It could only go up from here… he hoped. They'd just have to wait and see, he supposed, only time would tell.

"Firstly, you give your wands to me. Good, now, you will speak only when spoken to, and answer honestly, and truthfully, providing _all_ of the necessary explanations when asked a question. To ensure that this is the case I'll be giving you each a very strong dose of veritaserum before you go in. And, let me be clear, if there's any funny business, if Dumbledore thinks for even a second that any of you three are untrustworthy, or will be taking immediate action to harm him in the near future, he will send a patronus message to myself. Meanwhile, I will be waiting just outside the door, right here, to rush in and help him if need be. Don't be misled, just because Dumbledore has agreed to take an audience with you, doesn't mean that we're going to let you pull the wool over our eyes," Sirius finished with a nod.

He stuffed the three wands in the pocket of his robes, and when he removed his hand there was a bottle of clear liquid in it. He motioned each of the teenagers forwards, one at a time, and put six drops, twice the dose that was needed, in their mouths, and he nodded and stepped aside to let the teenagers in.

Harry had a funny feeling that the three marauders and Lily had a much stronger hand in making the rules than Dumbledore did, it didn't take a genius to see that the four adults did not trust them. Dumbledore hadn't even met them yet, he might take precautions when meeting new people during a time like this, but nothing as extreme as what he was doing now, not without severe warning and advisement from people that he trusted anyways. But it wasn't about whether or not Dumbledore was listening to the marauders and Lily, it was about whether or not he would listen to them.

Stepping through the door way into Dumbledore's office was almost as nostalgic for Harry as stepping through Hogwarts front doors again, if not more so. Where as he had passed in and out of the castle's entrance many times during the last couple of months, as he, Hermione, and Ron were helping with the repairs, he had not been up to office of the old Headmaster since he was viewing Snape's memories. Before that, it was the night he left to collect the locket with the beloved Headmaster, the last night anyone had seen Dumbledore alive.

Still, even with these thoughts running through his head, he could not help but smile as he walked through the doors - the office was just as he remembered it. Perhaps, it was a little bit less cluttered with the strange silver, and gold, nicknacks, and doo dads that Dumbledore loved to collect so much, but nonetheless, it was still just the same. The desk, the Headmaster's chair, and the portraits that lined the wall just behind them, which looked on curiously, as the students waited patiently, though uncomfortably, for the Headmaster to greet them, shifting awkwardly in the centre of the room.

They did not have to wait very long, as just a moment later Dumbledore entered from a concealed door, on the right side of the room. Just before the door shut behind him though, Harry thought he saw the slightest, almost indiscernible shimmer at the Headmasters feet. _Strange,_ he thought to himself, before he was pulled away from these thoughts as he looked at Dumbledore.

A similar sensation as when he first saw Lily alive overwhelmed him. To see a dead man walking around, breathing and living his life, was a very strange thing. Especially when the wizard meant as much to Harry as Dumbledore did, it felt as if the breathe had been knocked right out of him. He, unfortunately, didn't have very much time to collect himself, before it was his turn to speak.

"I was told that you three wished to speak to me, yes," asked Dumbledore?

"Yes sir, that's correct," said Harry.

"And you are," asked Dumbledore?

"I'm Harry, this is Ron, and that's Hermione," said Harry, nodding towards each of his friends and jerking his thumb in their direction as his introduced them.

"Yes, they did mention that you don't do last names, how strange… may I ask why?"

"Well sir… To be perfectly honest, I don't think that you'd believe me if I told you."

"Is that so? Well, if you're sure, then answer me this, what reason to I have to trust the three of you if you can't trust me enough to provide me with your true names?"

Harry hesitated before he responded, and looked to hermione and Ron to see if they approved of him making the decisions for now. With a nod from each of his friends, he took a deep, steadying breathe, and plowed on.

"It's not that I don't trust you with out names, Headmaster sir, it's just that I don't think you'd believe us if we told them to you, _out loud… _If you'd be willing, Headmaster, I think I'd prefer to _show you_ our names, and a few other things"

The twinkle in the Headmaster's eyes immediately vanished, and for a moment, Harry could understand why Voldemort had always been so afraid of Dumbledore… or was so afraid of Dumbledore? _Tenses were going to become very confusing and tiresome, __very__ quickly_, he thought to himself. Before he could think any more about it, Dumbledore said, in a deathly quiet voice,

"My pensive is a very well kept secret young man, I can count on one hand the number of people, including myself, who know about it. So, before we proceed any further with this conversation, I'd like very much for you to tell me exactly how you came to know about it."

Harry paused and pursed his lips in deep thought, thinking again of the shimmer he had seen on the floor just behind the Headmaster's own feet as he first entered the room.

"I'm afraid, Headmaster sir, that my answer remains the same. I would be more than willing to show you the answer to this question, but I won't say it aloud."

Dumbledore stood, unblinking, looking at Harry, and Harry did the same to his old professor, each sizing the other up, waiting to see who would break first. After a tense moment, which seemed to stretch on forever for those not involved in the staring contest, Dumbledore nodded his head. His desire for valuable information that he could use to win the war had won out over his pride, and frustration at having one of his own secrets revealed, as Harry knew it would.

With a complicated wand movement, and a quietly muttered, "Accio Pensive," the cabinet that Harry knew contained the magical object opened, and the silver dish he remembered well floated towards them. When Dumbledore looked at Harry expectantly, however, harry was forced to admit,

"I'm afraid, sir, that I've only ever viewed other's memories in a pensive, and am unsure as to how to draw my own, erm… if you don't mind," Harry muttered the last few words, looking to the ceiling in embarrassment as his cheeks turned red, he pointed to his head, hoping the Headmaster would understand what he meant.

Dumbledore nodded, with the same stoic expression on his face, and said, "Think very carefully, about the memory you want to be viewed first. Focus on this memory and only this memory, and let your mind fill in all of the details. Allow the pictures to play out behind your closed eyes, and think of nothing else."

Harry nodded, and did as he was asked, fist closing his eyes, and then focusing with everything he had, on the day that he received his first letter from hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Before he knew what was happening, he felt a very uncomfortable sensation at his temple, which quickly became a painful tugging, or stretching sensation, and then all at once it was gone again, leaving behind a dull, ache.

Harry groaned and clutched his head, "I definitely don't think I like drawing memories much," he said to the amusement of Ron and Hermione.

Harry even thought he saw Dumbledore's lips twitch, just a little, but Dumbledore was back to being serious a moment later, while Ron and Hermione continued to laugh, he ignored the statement entirely and instead asked, "Do you have any more memories which need to be drawn, or may we enter now"?

"No sir, we can't, I'm afraid, I've got a lot more to show you. It's a rather long story, you see, seven years worth of an explanation. I'll try to cut it down as much as I can, but even still, we've still got a long way to go."

Dumbledore rose his eyebrows in questioning, and confusion most likely, no doubt he was even more curious now than he was before. Nonetheless, a short moment later, nodded his head in resigned acceptance, and said, "Very well then, let us move onto the next memory, do the same as you did before".

And on they went, it took a few hours to retrieve all they needed, and in the end Harry had a headache that could go toe to toe with the pain of his worst visions from Voldemort. He was more than a little dizzy and woozy, it seemed as if the room was spinning around him and he felt very unsteady on his own feet.

With a sigh Dumbledore said, "I'm afraid that I have never drawn so memories at one time, or seen anyone else do so either, so I was unaware of the physical effects it would have on your body, but I suppose that I still should have warned you that there might be some, and to expect something, my apologies. Let us all recuperate, before we enter Mr. Harry's memories. I think I'll be calling a house elf to ask for a cup of tea myself, I suspect that we'll be in there a very long time, and as it is already so late at night, I'll be needing some assistance to stay awake. Would any of you three like anything"?

Hermione took charge of answering the Headmaster, as Ron was attempting to tend to Harry, and Harry himself she thought would only be able to grunt and make hand gestures at this point in time.

"I'll have a cup of tea as well, and they'll have a hot chocolate each, if that's alright sir."

"Of course, I'll call for it right away."

"Thank you very much."

A few minute later, they each had a warm mug in their hands, with their liquid of choice, and Hermione, Ron, and Headmaster Dumbledore were making pleasant conversation, consisting entirely of meaningless small talk, and Harry was silently trying to prepare himself for what came next. Many of these memories, he had not revisited since their original occurence in his life, he was sure that he was unprepared, but he had no choice, so he was readying himself for the inevitable and trying to calm his nerves.

He knew that Ron and Hermione were aware of what he was doing, what he was going through right now, and the thoughts that were running through his head, and that they were trying to keep Dumbledore occupied.

He wasn't sure that they'd succeeded, at least not without making Dumbledore suspicious, as he was also pretty sure that the Headmaster knew what was going on, if the looks he kept shooting in Harry's direction were any indication, but he was thankful nonetheless.

He wanted to thank his friends for what they were doing, but wasn't sure his voice would work right now if he tried, so he just kept quiet, and trusted that they knew he was grateful to them.

Eventually, he felt calm enough to get started, and so he stood up and set his mug down on the Headmaster's desk. The others recognized this for what it was, and followed his lead. He walked over to the pensive that was floating mid air a few feet away from him, and heard Dumbledore following behind him. Ron and Hermione, of course, didn't need to enter with Harry to view all of his memories, they had lived them all alongside him, and there was no need for all three of them to relive all of the worst moments of their lives.

Just before entering the Pensive he turned to Dumbledore and said, "You're probably going to have a lot of questions. A lot of it might surprise you, or confuse you, or even scare you. Not all of what you're going to see is going to be reassuring, or make a lot of sense, and you might even leave with more questions than you have right now, but everything in that pensive is _absolutely crucial_. So please, if you might wait until we're back out here again, and the three of us will give you any explanations that you might need. Okay?"

Dumbledore nodded his head to show that he understood and agreed to Harry's terms, and Harry took a deep breathe and ducked his head down into the cool waters full of the ink and mist of his memories. They flashed through a couple of memories when Harry was a child, showing his nightmares with the scream and flash of green light, his accidental magic and parseltongue abilities, and _just_ enough of his childhood for Dumbledore to be aware of the date, which he rose a questioning eyebrow at many times, and of the Dursley's cruel treatment towards Harry, so that Dumbledore might know what his life was like prior to becoming a wizard, and what it meant for him when he found out.

Then, they saw his letter arrive.

"Make sure you take notice of the full name on the front of the envelope, and the crest imprinted on the wax seal," said Harry.

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose slightly in questioning, noticing the Hogwarts crest, and his eyes grew exponentially larger when he saw Harry's last name. Dumbledore turned his head around to stare at the boy, eyebrows hidden in his hairline, ready to burst with questions no doubt. But he remembered harry's directions, and swallowed them down again before turning to face the memory once more.

They watched at the Dursley's tried to keep Harry from his letters, and dragged his family across the country to do so. They saw as Hagrid broke down their door to get to Harry. They saw Hagrid deliver Harry a smushed up birthday cake, alongside happy birthday wishes, and his hogwarts letter, which he was able to actually read for the first time.

They watched as Hagrid and a younger version of Harry went shopping in diagon alley for his school supplies. They watched as Hagrid explained what exactly had happened to his parents, and why he lived with his aunt and uncle now. They watched as Harry entered the wizarding world for the first time, and the reactions he received.

They skimmed over most of his first year, only bothering with memories relevant to the mystery of the philosophers stone, though Harry did show Dumbledore how he ended up on the quidditch team as a first year, he was particularly proud of that fact, even now.

They watched, as Harry's brom was jinxed, and he still managed to catch the snitch. They watched as a troll was let into the castle, and how harry and his two best friends had to fight it. They watched Hagrid tried to raise a dragon, and how Harry, Ron and Hermione had to go into the forbidden forest for detention after helping move the dragon. They saw a hooded figure drinking the blood of a unicorn, and how being near and looking at that same hooded figure made Harry's lightning bolt scar hurt.

Harry and Dumbledore watched as the three children puzzled out what was hidden on the third floor corridor, and who it belonged to, and who brought it to hogwarts, and who might be after it. And they watched as Harry realized what was going on, and as he and Ron and Hermione tried to find help, and when they could not, how they went after Voldemort themselves.

Onto the second year, they watched as Dobby tried to warn Harry off, and subsequently got him almost killed a few times. They watched Harry hear voices in the wall, that nobody else could hear. They watched as strange things started happening, like messages appearing on the walls written in blood, and students being petrified.

Harry watched alongside Dumbledore, as he discovered the diary, and it's lies. They watched as Hermione was petrified, and as Harry and Ron had to try and figure out the problem by themselves. Finally, they watched as Ginny was taken, and as Harry and Ron rushed off to save the day… Again.

They watched as Harry was banned from Hogsmeade and lost his firebolt in third year. They watched as dementors overtook the school grounds, looking for the escaped criminal that was Harry's godfather, and as Harry learned to fight them, for the safety of himself and others. They watched as Harry witnessed a prophecy, and an explanation from his father's two best friends that would change his life. They watched as he nearly died trying to save Sirius, and how they had to say goodbye anyways, because Petter had escaped in the end.

Third year, they agreed, was not the best, and fourth year was worse. They watched as Harry had dreams about voldemort. The watched as Harry was entered into the tournament by a death eater in disguise. They watched as he was chased by a dragon whose egg he was supposed to steal, and as he had to get around merfolk and grindylows to recover 'what he would sorely miss', and as he had to maneuver a maze full of dangers to find the cup, only to watch Cedric die, and be nearly killed himself. They watched as the two boys were transported away, as Voldemort was brought back to life, and has Harry had to fight him off.

In fifth year, they saw the ministry deny the claims of voldemort and Harry, and effectively take over Hogwarts. They saw Dumbledore avoid Harry, in an attempt to lessen the effects Harry would experience, from having a piece of Voldemort inside of him. They watched as Umbridge tried to ruin the student's defence against the dark arts education, and as the trio decided to do something about it. They watched as Harry saw into Voldemort's mind, just in time to save Mr. Weasley, and again just in time to rush off to the ministry with a handful of members of Dumbledore's army to try and save Sirius, only for Harry to have to watch him die. They watched as Voldemort finally, and foolishly revealed himself, an as Dumbledore finally revealed the prophecy, the reason Harry's life had been the way it had and the things he would still have to do.

Sixth year came around, and with it a sense of foreboding. Dumbledore and Harry went to hire Slughorn, Snape became the teacher for defence against the dark arts, and Harry and Dumbledore started their private lessons. Then things got worse, students got cursed and poisoned, both of which had been meant for _Dumbledore_, attempts on_ his_ life. On and on, the year played out in front of them, over all, much less exciting than years past with the exception of Draco acting suspicious. Finally, Harry and Dumbledore watched as they went to collect the locket, and as the reason for Draco's behaviour was revealed when the returned. They watched as they returned to the castle, and as Dumbledore fell from the astronomy tower, never to rise again.

The years played out in front of them like a move, Dumbledore's death, the death eater's take over, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron going on the run to try and put and end to it all.

When it came to the actual year of horcrux hunting, Harry was a little bit more specific. He showed Dumbledore how they stayed in 12 Grimmauld Place, preparing to break into the ministry of magic as wanted felons for the_ real_ locket, until 12 Grimmauld Place became compromised. They watched as the three teenagers took a lot of watch shifts, lived in a tent, and rationed a poor, awful tasting diet of fish and mushrooms.

Harry did show him that the locket the two of them had retrieved was a fake. He also showed Dumbledore as the trio first found the sword of gryffindor, and then as they destroyed the locket that belonged to Salazar Slytherin, though Harry did not show Dumbledore who or where Umbridge got the locket from, or who it was that originally retrieved the true locket from the cave before Dumbledore and himself.

Harry showed how they destroyed Helga Hufflepuff's cup, and then broke into Hogwarts, and destroyed the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. Harry even showed Dumbledore when they destroyed each horcrux and what they used to destroy each horcrux, but he _did not_ show Dumbledore _where_ each horcrux was found.

He admired the Headmaster, and respected and thought highly of his decisions and advice, but he would not let anyone hunt these horcruxes other than himself… and maybe Hermione and Ron.

He did, however, show Dumbledore the truth about the Hallows, thinking that the resurrection stone had nearly killed him once, and if _that fact_ could not convince the Headmaster to leave the hallows alone, then _nothing could._

Harry showed Dumbledore how Voldemort killed Severus, and how Severus gave Harry his memories, he even showed Dumbledore those memories which were not his, but Professor Snape's. It was a very strange sensation, to say the least, watching a memory of watching memories. It was something they'd both experienced earlier, as they reviewed Harry's memories of his lessons with Dumbledore in sixth year, but still just as disorienting the second time around.

Harry walked with Dumbledore, and the younger version of himself from only a few months ago, into the forbidden forest, and watched himself die. He watched with Dumbledore as he woke up in the entirely white kings cross station, and had a conversation with the previously dead Headmaster that he admired so much. They both watched, as he woke up, escaped, one final time, and confronted Voldemort, in front of all of the great hall, and even more fantastically, how he won the final battle.

He showed, briefly, what their lives had been like, post Voldemort. He showed the rebuilding of society, slowly but surely. He showed the repairs being made to Hogwarts, and the quiet lives they were trying, pointlessly, to live, and the public appearances they were asked to make over and over again. The very last thing he showed Dumbledore, was how their very carefully constructed schedule had been disrupted the morning prior to their landing.

Emerging from the pensive after all that time was the strangest thing, like stepping back onto land after he had been out at sea for months. His legs didn't feel like his own, and he wasn't sure he still knew how to use them.

He knew that they hadn't been inside the pensive for a month, but he suspected that they had been inside the pensive long enough for his friends to fall asleep, and he knew Ron and Hermione well enough to know that they would be startled awake by the noise of Harry and Dumbledore emerging from the pensive. The three of them were all very light sleepers, had been for the last year, and Harry didn't think that would be changing anytime soon.

He also knew, that they would probably fire on instinct at the unknown intruders that woke them up, another side effect of the war that they'd all picked up. So, he cast a protego duo around himself and his old Headmaster as they came out of the pensive, and it was a good decision as it took only seconds for Hermione and Ron to both send a Stupefy in their direction.

"Oh, Harry!, We're so sorry, we didn't realize that it was just you and Dumbledore coming out. How did it go? How'd he take it, well do you think?"

Hermione nearly tackled Harry with a hug in apology, and Ron rush to catch them both before they hit the ground.

"Easy 'mione, at least we were able to get some sleep, they were in there, awake, for all that time, give a bloke a minute."

"Right, sorry sorry. Harry, why don't you come take a seat?"

"Here mate, have mine."

"Thanks Ron."

There was a brief lull in conversation where Harry, Hermione, and Dumbledore took their seats, and Ron summoned another for himself. When they were all seated, the three teenagers looked expectantly at Dumbledore, who looked back with that familiar twinkle in his eyes.

"Well, well… That is quite a story, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry, Headmaster sir, but I think I might be misunderstanding you. Do you meant to say that you believe us?!"

"Well of course I do, Mr.-"

"-Um… Sorry to interrupt sir, but perhaps just Harry for now?"

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose for the briefest of moments, before the twinkle in his eyes grew ever brighter.

"Well of course you'd know that they're here, how silly of me, I reckon that you could probably tell me who's under the cloak as well, isn't that right Harry?"

"Erm, sorry, but could you two break this down for us-'Mione? What're you going?"

Though the conversation had only involved Harry and Dumbledore thus far, excluding Ron's question at the end, the other two members of the trio had been listening avidly. Which was why, when Dumbledore's most recent statement had leve Ron and Hermione very confused, Ron had asked for clarification. But in the time it had taken him to get the question out, she was up, with a determined look in her eyes, scanning the room, until they spotted a glimmer, just like the one Harry spotted earlier, as Dumbledore first entered the room.

"_Homenum revelio,"_ she whispered, pointing her wand at the space directly above the glimmer, only to have a shimmery cloak fly off the two squatting figures of James and Remus.

"_YOU TOLD THEM WE WERE HERE?!"_

"I assure you, Mr. Potter, I did no such thing. Harry knew, and Hermione figured it out all on her own."

"How? How could he possibly know, nobody but you and the marauders and Lily know that I have this cloak."

James had directed the question at Harry, and the two Marauders were now staring, waiting expectantly for an answer. Harry hesitated, considering his words carefully, before responding.

"I knew somebody once, who had an invisibility cloak as well. As they grew taller, it didn't fit them as well, and sometimes their feet poked out. And sometimes, if they were moving quickly, a small part of them would be exposed, even if only for less than a second, and it made it seem like there was a glimmer in the air. I saw one when Dumbledore came into the room, and as only Sirius was waiting to let us, in, I figured at least one of you was trying to get some information on, or about us."

James frowned, "You knew the whole time that we were here?! That's why you insisted on the pensive, isn't it, you didn't want us to verhear anything."

"Partially, yes, I also _actually didn't_ think that Professor DUmbledore would believe us if we only told him out loud, even under veritaserum. But yes, that is the other part of the reason, and I'm sorry, but our story, and the things we know, we're only giving that information out on a need-to-know basis, and you're just not need to know… Yet."

"Don't take it personally mate, most people aren't, even where we're from, there's lots people don't know everything about what we're up to at any given time" Ron tried to console James and Remus. It didn't appear to work.

"_You_ are the ones that need to earn _our_ trust, not the other way around, we shouldn't have to _earn_, or _work_ our way onto this _need to know_ list of yours. I think you'll find that you're not early as important as you think you are, _boy_" James sneered at Harry for his refusal to give out information, and Hermione took a menacing step forwards.

"Have we done anything to make you think you shouldn't trust us? No? That's what I thought. Next, do you trust Dumbledore's judgment? Yes,wonderful. Now, tell me, if Dumbledore trusted us, would that be good enough for you? Well, I'm glad to hear it, because I'm pretty sure that after reviewing some of Harry's memories in the pensive, the Headmaster does trust us, don't you Dumbledore?"

"Yes, I do-"

"Excellent, well then the way I see it, this conversation is over, boys, and I'll thank you not to look at me, or my friends in that way again. _You_ may not think us important, but, _I promise you,_ that we _are_ much more important than you'd like to believe, and we are certainly worthy of more than your disdain. Do I make myself clear?"

At the reluctant nodding of James and Remus, with frowns on their faces, Hermione flicked her hand in the direction of the door, which opened a moment later, and she held her hand out in that direction, as if to say, _you can leave now, if you'll walk this way please._

_Well, I guess they know the extent of our magic knowledge and skills now,_ thought Harry wryly.

With one last look to their Headmaster, eyebrows raised, they walked towards the door to leave, seeing that Dumbledore was on the side of the three teenagers, and would not budge anytime soon.

On the other side of the door Sirius stood, moth agape, at how easily his friends had been deterred, they thought their plan was perfect.

Lily had of curse, rolled her eyes at the boys insisting that the three teenagers _were up to no good,_ and _had to be investigated._ She had told them not to bother, that if there was anything to find, Dumbledore would find it, that there was no need for them to eavesdrop. She was pretty sure that they just wanted an excuse to sneak around under the invisibility cloak, like they used to, and she told them as much, which only made James more determined to go through with it of course, and to drag Remus with him as a result.

Remus and Lily did not particularly trust the teenagers, but they were not openly hostile towards them, like James and Sirius were, either. Remus and Lily were happy to let people like Dumbledore, who had power and more resources to evaluate and assess the teenagers, decide whether or not they trusted them first.

That didn't mean that they would necessarily follow the led of those in power, but at the very least, Lily and Remus planned on reserving their judgments for later, after they've had some time to watch how the new players on the board behaved for themselves.

So while James stomped out in a huff, Remus smiled sheepishly, and said, "Sorry," knowing that he should not have let his friend drag him into something that he had already decided he wanted no part in.

Harry gave him the friendliest smile he could muster, and nodded in acceptance of the apology. Remus nodded back, took his exit closing the door behind him, and then there were four again. Harry turned back to the Headmaster and waited to hear what he would say next.

"I must say firstly, a very sincere congratulations to you Mr. Potter. How nice it must be to have them back again, after all this time, hmm?"

Harry had to try to swallow past the lump in his throat, before he could respond to his favorite professor's statement, which was what had him all choked up in the first place. How was he even supposed to respond to that, he wasn't sure how he'd lasted this long as it was.

How had he been doing it for so long? Being around them, talking to them? These were the same people who _died_ for him, so that he could _live_. They were standing in front of him, in their prime, unaware of who he was or what was headed their way if Harry couldn't stop it first, and Harry had been conversing with them, making small talk for hours.

It felt almost as if he were on auto pilot, though he'd never done this before, he felt as if he'd handed over the controls to somebody else, leaving them in charge of his body and actions, and he was simply watching from the sidelines, as things went on around him. He felt numb to the bone, and he knew that feeling would be with him whenever he was around them. It would follow him, at least for a very long time until he adjusted to, and accepted the fact that his parents, or anyone that had died in the second war for that matter, were alive, and had a second chance at life.

How was he to put those feelings, or lack thereof seeing as he felt as if his system had shut down in self preservation, into words. He wasn't sure there _were_ even words to describe how he did, or didn't feel right now, or maybe how he wished he could feel. Regardless, they were all still waiting for an explanation, and he would have to say something, or so he thought.

"Well, there are many things that I would like to address, but from what I saw you three landed in our year, the same time as you left yours, yes?"

It seemed as if the Headmaster's furst statement had been rhetorical, or perhaps he had realized that Harry was having some trouble answering, and so had taken the responsibility off the boys shoulders and continued on.

At least that was one thing less that Harry had to worry about.

"Yes sir, that's correct," Hermione responded for the trio.

"Well then, yourself and Mr. Weasley had already been awake for about fourteen hours, and Mr. Potter nearly eighteen, and that was prior to going into the pensive. I see that the two of you managed to grab a quick nap while we were in there, and just as well seeing as it will be a very busy day for us all tomorrow. I believe that you two will be thankful for the extra couple of hours of sleep. I somehow suspect though, that Mr. Potter has not slept since you arrived here, which means that, after the time we spent in the Pensive, you have been awake for," he cast a quick tempus, "nearly twenty four hours Mr. Potter. It will not do to have you magically exhaust yourself, so I will try to be quick."

Harry nodded and sat back in his chair, he wasn't sure what questions Dumbledore had for them, but knowing that he believed them, that he would try not to keep them too long, and that there was a nice warm bed waiting for them at the end of this helped him to relax into the chair. Hopefully soon, he'd be getting a couple of hours sleep, and that thought was more than enough to energize him all over again. He nodded for the professor to go ahead, and was surprised by what left his mouth.

"I, of course, have a lot to say about what I've just seen, but I will try to be quick, so as not to keep you awake for too much longer. Now, tell me Harry, I noticed that while we were exploring your memories, the locations of Voldemort's horcruxes were noticeably, and surprisingly, completely absent. Am I right in assuming that was completely intentional?"

"Yes, sir."

"So, I am understanding you correctly then, you wish to keep that information private?"

"Absolutely, Headmaster, sir."

"From everyone? Or just from myself, I wonder?"

"From everyone, sir, but especially from you. In our lifetime, hunting horcruxes was one of the two major things that contributed to your death, as you saw. I'm well aware that you'd like to help, and that you would probably be a great asset, which is why I promise to ask for help when we need it, but I'd rather you not risk your life like that again. I'd rather nobody did. I'd prefer really, to do it by myself, but I know that I'd likely die if I didn't take some back up, and that these two would never allow it. However, the number of people who will be hunting horcruxes stops there I'm afraid, I won't allow anyone to put themselves in unnecessary danger."

Dumbledore nodded in understanding, he had expected as much after seeing the boy's memories. He of course had no way of knowing what Harry had been thinking or feeling in any of those moments, but he could tell a great deal from the boys actions and decisions nonetheless.

"Well then, that's all I have for now, I do believe that both of your old dormitories are free and available this time of year, you three are free to sleep were you'd like."

Harry recognized the dismissal for what it was, but he was terribly confused.

"Er, sorry professor, but… Well that's it? Don't you have any more questions?"

"Oh I have a great deal more questions for you Harry, and you two as well, Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley, as well as theories and plans, but none I believe to be prudent enough to justify keeping you away from your beds any longer. Until we sort out what happened, I dare say it's safe to bet on the fact that we will be able to talk again tomorrow, so, I see no need for you three to fret about my questions until then. Off you go, I dare say that James, Remus, and Sirius would be happy to show you the way back to the dormitories, wouldn't you gentlemen?"

Dumbledore raised his hand and waved his wand at the door, opening it wide just as he started to send them on their way, ensuring that he would be heard by the three men who were, apparently, attempting to eavesdrop by pressing their ears up against the door. They went to school here, hadn't they ever been to Dumbledore office? If they had, didn't they know that the Headmaster was capable of spelling and enchanting the door to be completely soundproof.

Harry could tell from the faces of James and James' two best friends that Dumbledore had done just that. He could also tell that Dumbledore had probably never done that to them before, because they looked completely shocked, and definitely very frustrated with the man they trusted more than anyone outside of themselves and Lily.

Nonetheless, with grumpy frowns on their faces, as they had been caught out and gained absolutely nothing from it, they nodded and responded in almost perfect synchronization, "Yes sir,".

Although Harry and his friends knew exactly where the gryffindor tower was, they also knew that they were not supposed to know this. James and his friends, who had attended Hogwarts as children, had never seen Harry and his friends at the school. So, Harry and his friends knew that they had no logical way of explaining how they knew where the tower was. They could not come out say, not without a bloody good reason, that they didn't need an escort service. So, with three escorts keeping a close eye on them, on they walked.

The walk across the castle was a bit of a blur to Harry, looking back later he would only remember that he had been alert enough to defend against an attack, should one come, but not nearly alert or awake enough to track their progress through the castle, or recognize even his own surroundings and where he was inside the castle.

It had been a very long day indeed, and he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

With Ron beside him, and Hermione lying at their feet, if he closed his eyes and imagined the smell of hot chocolate that Dobby and Kreacher always sent him off to bed with, it almost felt like he was back home.

**A. N. Wow, almost 86 hundred words, definitely my longest chapter to date, even though I sort of feel like nothing much happened in this one. Sorry about the delay with this chapter, I got pretty busy with school for a while there. Additionally, I originally planned on including a lot more, but some sections of it sort of ran away from me. I got lost in the descriptions and in the scenes, and got carried away, and I had to cut it somewhere.**

**All that means for you guys, is that I know how, at least the beginning, of the next chapter in going to go. And let me just say, I think that _all_ of you, will be quite surprised by what will be revealed next chapter, I've got something quite exciting up my sleeve, and if you have any ideas as to what it is, feel free to go ahead and leave them in a review, I'd love to hear them!**

**One other question on the subject of reviews and Q&A, who do you want Hermione with in this fic. I have a few different options I've been considering, Harry is not one of them just fyi, and I'd love to get your input on it. It doesn't effect the story all the much, so I could really go any which way I feel like it. Let me know who you'd like to see her end up with, and, most importantly, let me know what you thought of this chapter.**

**As always, constructive criticism is always welcome, and please be kind to each other in the comments section.**

**-H.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A. N. Here's one more for you, I planned on including more in this chapter, but when I realized how long it was getting I thought I'd split it up into two. That being said, I've already gotten started on the next one.**

**I've also not gotten much of a response yet on who you guys want to see Hermione with, so please, don't be shy! All I know is that she won't be with Harry, but other than that, it's up to you guys, and I want to hear your thoughts!**

**This chapter's shoutout goes to Outofthisworldgal, for her comment about Hagrid from way back when on chapter three, which made me laugh.**

**I always love hearing your thoughts, and feelings about the chapters and predictions for what will happen next are always interesting, so don't hold back, and as always, constructive criticism is welcome. Be kind to each other in the comments section, and I hope you enjoy!**

**-H.**

Though none of the trio slept particularly _well_, Ron and Hermione certainly had a worse night's sleep than Harry did. Having essentially missed a night's sleep, he was able to sleep past sunrise, and well into the morning. It was the first time in a long time that he could remember having slept in, he slept a whole _eight hours_… He couldn't think of the last time he'd done that.

He wondered if it might have something to do with being back at Hogwarts. Though not his current place of residence, it was the first place he had ever felt welcomed, happy, and at home. It was a place that Harry would always consider to be home, so he could understand how being back here might allow him to rest a little easier, especially, when it looked like this, all put back together again as if it hadn't been through a war. He supposed it helped to remind his subconscious of an easier, earlier time before they'd all been through so much.

Either way, he was most definitely _not_ going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He took advantage of the rest his good night's sleep gave him, and got ready for the day in record time, missing the routine of cooking breakfast in the morning, but also finding that he didn't have a particular need for it this morning, having had no nightmares last night. His mind had been, assumedly, too tired for dreams, let alone nightmares. Nonetheless, he still appreciated it the same as he did a good night's sleep.

When he finished getting ready and made his way downstairs, he found Hermione and Ron sitting in the common room together, sitting and watching the fire quietly. It occurred to him, that they might not have had the same ease last night, as they were not quite as exhausted, and he regretted that he could not give them some of his good night. Instead, he settled in between them on the couch and put an arm around both of them in comfort. They couldn't go about their daily kitchen routine this morning to calm themselves this morning, the same as Harry couldn't, and so they'd have to wait for the feelings of panic, unease, and dread to subside on their own.

When he noticed that his friend's breathing had evened out a bit and that their eyes had lost most of that haunted look they carried after a nightmare, he removed his arms from around their shoulders and stood up.

"Dumbledore's probably going to be calling on us soon, so I guess we ought' to head down to the kitchens and try and grab some breakfast, yea?"

"No arguments there mate."

Ron's response brought a small, soft smile to the faces of both Harry and Hermione, it was nice to know that no matter where, or _when_ they might be, no matter how bizarre or frightening a situation might be, somethings would never change.

Hermione, of course, made a nuisance of herself in the kitchen trying to help the house elves prepare breakfast for them. The house elves tried to shoo her away, and Harry and Ron tried to help them, but when the boys realized the house elves were just as annoyed with them for getting in the way of the house elves attempting to get rid of Hermione _while_ they attempted to make breakfast, the boys took their seats again and let the house elves deal with her.

She was too lost in her own thoughts to notice the annoyance she was being to the house elves. She was used to being the one who _knew _things, the one with all the answers. She was the brightest witch of her age, she thought things out, planned ahead, and always knew which steps would be best for her friends and herself to take next.

But in this situation, she knew _nothing._ She didn't know why they were here, or what caused them to be pulled from their own time. She didn't know what it was they were supposed to do here, _if they were even supposed to do anything_. She didn't know how they were going to get back to their own time,_ if it was even possible,_ or what effect their presence and actions here would have on their own time.

She was sure of one thing, this had not happened in their own time. Their presence alone was a major change, she was sure. The presence of the trio in the lives of the Marauders would have drastically altered the reaction of Sirius and Remus when they saw the trio for the first time as children.

All of that aside, she knew that Harry, Ron, and herself would not be letting Peter betray James and Lily this time around, which would cause massive ripples in the timeline. Just like the fact that Dumbledore now knew about the Horcruxes, and exactly how Voldemort could be destroyed, nearly twenty years earlier, would cause _massive_ ripples in the timeline.

Whatever happened from here on out, it would not be the same history that the trio knew, that much was clear. But what did that mean exactly? Would they end up erasing the time that they came from by changing things? If that was the case, then they themselves ran the risk of being erased, and so would not have been able to come back in the first place to erase themselves.

She could think circles around that paradox forever, but it seeing as the trio, was in fact, still here, alive and breathing in this time, she knew it must be categorically impossible. So what then? Had they done more than just traveling back in time? Perhaps, whatever it was that had happened to them, had pulled them not only from their own time but from their reality as well.

She'd read a small handful of research papers on the topic of alternate dimensions, but it all seemed to be very theoretical, and all theories had been disproven by the end of the researcher's paper. Aside from that, everything prior to their arrival here seemed to align with the history that they knew. So… They were in the same dimension, their dimension, that much was clear… But also somehow not, despite the fact that alternate dimensions did not exist. They were alive, existing in a time before they were even born, with no idea how they got here, or how to get back.

She was utterly, and hopelessly panicking. Her nightmares the night before certainly had not helped, though they had focussed on something other than the horrors of the second wizarding war for once. Instead, they had focussed on what horrors might await them, in the first war, and beyond for that matter if they could not get home.

No doubt about it, her thoughts had begun to take on a frantic edge before herself and Ron had even left the dormitories. Between the time they spent sitting in front of the fire trying to calm down, barely even noticing when Harry arrived, the walk down to the kitchens, and the brief time she'd spent sitting at a table with Harry and Ron, she was spiraling.

So, she did the only thing that she could think of, and she got up and tried to busy herself, as unwanted as her help may have been.

Helping the house elves make some breakfast, preparing the food and drinks that she knew Harry, Ron, and herself normally ate, helped to calm her down. The normality, the monotony of it, helped to settle her mind and body into a routine she knew well. It helped her to shut her brain off, stop thinking, and just let muscle memory take over.

But the time the food was ready, she could sit down and eat her food calmly with her friends while she waited for Dumbledore to summon them. She knew she wasn't finished with this mystery yet, it would follow her around, everywhere she went and no matter what she did until she solved it.

While she would need to figure out the answers eventually, she would need to gather more information first, which would be rather hard to do seeing as most of the relevant books had not been written yet, one more obstacle to overcome. Regardless, there would be time enough for that, and the rather advanced arithmancy calculations she would no doubt have to make, later.

For now, she was calmed, and so were Harry and Ron, and they would all need to stay that way for the foreseeable future while they worked out some of the more delicate complications with Dumbledore.

Almost immediately following this thought, the headmaster himself walked into the kitchens and scanned the room until his eyes settled on the trio, and a small smile appeared on his face, brightening the twinkle in his eyes.

"Well, I see that you've found the kitchens and our wonderful kitchen staff. Now, how have you been settling in, hmm?"

"Respectfully, Headmaster sir, it's only been a day, one very busy day which we spent most of trying to find and explain things to you. We've not even begun to settle in yet."

"Of course, Harry, I understand. Well, I am, unfortunately, afraid I cannot promise that anything will begin looking up soon, we've just too much to figure out with a situation like yours landing in our laps."

"We understand sir, and trust us, all we want right now is to figure out our… Rather _unusual_ situation," Hermione responded.

She knew how stressed and nervous the boys must be, having known them for almost half of her life she knew them almost as well as she knew herself, and it would not do to have them snapping the headmaster right now. They needed to help one another, not fight one another. That might be easier said than done, but somebody had to keep a clear head, and she'd just given herself nearly half of an hour to calm down, so why not her?

"Well, I am glad to hear that Mrs. Granger, shall we move to my office and continue this conversation there?"

"That sounds wonderful, thank you, headmaster sir," she answered, before turning to the nearest group of house elves and asking, "would you like any help cleaning up?"

Several house elves began glaring at her question. One house elf dropped a crystal bowl in shock and then promptly stormed off. Another kicked a table leg, in an attempt to prevent himself from possibly kicking her shin she thought. When one of the younger, and smaller looking ones burst into tears, she thought it best to slip out quietly behind the rest, who had left with a roll of their eyes as soon as they realized what she was going to do.

As well as she knew the boys, they knew her just as well she thought. She could not help but to smile softly as she walked down the hall, none of them had much information or plans to go on right now, but at least they had one another.

When she got to the gargoyle staircase leading up to Dumbledore's office she found James and Sirius shouting at the stone statue and, occasionally, at each other.

"Open!"

"Open _sesame!_"

"Please, please, _please_ just open up, we've got to get up there!"

"Begging isn't going to help. If asking nicely was the answer it would've moved aside ages ago."

"I know how the bloody gargoyle works James, you don't need to explain it to me."

"Well we could go back to guessing the names of sweets if you'd like, but seeing as there are hundreds of them in existence, and we've got no idea what Dumbledore's flavor of the week is, I think that we'll have about as much luck as we did before."

"Don't go getting smart with me, I'm no the one who got distracted by Lily and made us fall behind. Now we've gone and lost the two of them, and we've got no way to get it the bloody office!"

"I said that I was _sorry,_ alright?! I get that, but she was laughing and I just sorta lost focus for a second, and let me just say that I _cannot wait_ till you find a witch, because I am gonna take the mickey out of you every chance I-"

"_James!_ _Focus!"_

"Right, sorry, well what I was going to say was that we might not necessarily be out of luck, it was only Dumbledore and the two boys we saw, right? Well, I bet the girl will be joining them later, so maybe, if we can find her, we can follow her up under the cloak like we were planning on doing with the other two."

"It will probably take us a while to actually get into the office, with that plan, but-"

"It's still better than standing here shouting at the stone,"

"And, with any luck, they won't talk about anything too important until she gets there, they seem like a pretty close-knit group."

"Alright, sounds like a plan pads, let's go."

With that, they turned and started down the hallway, heading in the direction away from Hermione, meaning they had no idea that she was here. She could have just slipped in the office quietly, she could have been responsible and mature about the situation, and let them go on wasting an afternoon looking for her so that they could spy on the trio… But she didn't do any of that.

Maybe it was because she'd had a long day, and needed to blow off some steam. Maybe she needed to one-up somebody after her mini-meltdown in the kitchens, to prove to herself that she was still on top of her game. Or maybe she'd just been spending too long with Ron and Harry, _the morons_, she thought affectionately because this was definitely something that they would do.

"I'm afraid you'll have to try a little bit harder than that, I'm not so easy to plot against, but I commend you for your efforts, really I do. Better luck next time?"

She slipped up the staircase after she was finished mocking them, whispering the password so that they wouldn't hear. The gargoyle, of course, closed soundlessly and quickly behind her, and a few moments later she could hear fists pounding on the stone, and voices shouting once more.

It was, of course, a childish, and petty thing to do, but the looks on their faces had brightened her mood a great deal, and knowing how much trouble they'd gotten up to when they were at Hogwarts… Well, she saw no wrong in a little harmless teasing.

Hadn't she read somewhere that it was a good way to establish a friendly camaraderie between new parties? Maybe, she thought proudly and hopefully, this will be the triggering event for the marauder's to start trusting us.

With that thought, she opened the door to Dumbledore's office and greeted the three men chatting amicably in front of her. Each was seated in a large, overstuffed, comfortable chair, Dumbledore behind his desk of course, and the other two sitting across from him. Each had a cup of tea in their hands, and she found on floating towards her, from where she knew not, as she made her way over to the third chair, also the only empty chair, in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"Ms. Granger, so glad you could join us, I take it the house elves were not looking for any extra assistance this morning?"

The twinkle in his eyes was as bright as ever, and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment when she realized that the boys had probably been filling him in on spew while they waited… How kind of them. She swatted them both lightly on the backs of their heads as she sat down, she was only joking of course… Mostly.

"No sir, they did not, but perhaps another day."

"Yes, perhaps indeed. Now, down to business, I suppose, yes?"

"Well, that's what we're all here for, yeah? Where do you reckon we 'ought to start headmaster sir?"

"Firstly, I'd like to talk about Dobby and Kreacher, if that's alright with you Harry."

"Oh, erm... Yea, sure I guess. But sir, if I may ask, what importance do they have here and now? I mean, I know that they're important to me, but I've no relation to them in this time and, well I'm just not sure what role they could play."

"Mr. Potter, if I may, this is a very unique set of circumstances, I'm not sure what role anyone will play in the obstacles of the near future. So, what I think it might be wise to asses, is the effects that our previous roles have had."

"Right, okay, well um… Was there anything, in particular, you wanted to know? Or…?"

Dumbledore smiled brightly at the cooperation he was seeing, it was a very promising start to what he hoped would be a fruitful partnership between the four of them. He was very glad to have allies like these three young wix, and felt hopeful about the outcome of the war, for the first time in a very long time.

"You inherited Kreacher after Sirius Black died, yes?"

"Yeah, though he didn't really accept me at first, but later on… Well, you saw."

"Yes I did, and on the subject of Dobby, he asked if he might work for you once Hogwarts was liberated, yes?"

"Right, well the night that you… That the Death Eaters finally completed the mission that Voldemort had given to Draco, and they gained control of the school, well there was a lot of confusion and fear, everything happened so fast…" Harry swallowed thickly, this was harder than he thought it was going to be to talk about. He decided to focus on the facts as much as he could, hoping, that it would make things easier.

"Anyways, the house elves never knew what was happening, not until it was too late to do anything about it. By the time they realized what was going on, they were told that if they had a new master, and if any of them disobeyed, or tried to leave Hogwarts, for themselves or to serve someone else, then they would be killed," Harry had to pause to drink some tea, his throat was dry, and he wanted to be finished speaking already… This was going to be a very long day.

"They were, all of them, bound to obey and to come when their master summoned them, so they knew that if they tried to leave then they would just get called back, and killed for breaking the rules. Dobby though was a free elf. He could leave if he wanted, but he had nowhere else to go, and though staying and pretending to be bound would be better than going into hiding. So he waited, biding his time, coming when he was called and doing everything he was told to make them think he was in their service.

"When we liberated Hogwarts, he broke ranks and fought with us, and afterward he said that he wanted out of Hogwarts. He had always loved serving Dumbledore, but Dumbledore was gone. He knew that he would have loved to work for Professor McGonagall as well, but Hogwarts had hundreds of house elves, he didn't think that they needed one more.

"Nothing after the war would be easy, he knew, but some people, he thought, would have a much harder time of things, all alone, than Hogwarts would. He wanted to go somewhere and help somebody, who he thought would really need it. Hogwarts didn't need one more pair of hands, not nearly as much as other wizards, who he thought more deserving, might."

"Gave Harry 'ere a bit of a big head if you ask me. _Worthy wizards,_ and all that rubbish-"

"You know I don't believe in any of that Ron, I just, well I wasn't sure that he'd be able to find work with another wizarding family. The good ones, well they don't always have very prominent standings in society, so they might not be able to afford him. The bad ones, well I figured that they wouldn't want to pay him. Even if he could find someone who was willing to pay him, they probably wouldn't deserve him. So when he asked for a job with me I agreed, and I'll admit, that I was thankful for it later. It was nice having them both around to help us out."

There was a beat of silence, where Harry debated over whether or not to add any more. In the end, Ron made the decision for him.

"We were all sorta' a big mess for a while after it was all over. Mum helped loads, and of course, the fact that we all stayed with one another at Grimmauld place, but still… Having Kreacher and Dobby around, it made more of a difference than anyone could possibly know."

"Well then I suppose we owe them thanks, don't we?"

"We thank them every day sir, though I think they might have to go without our gratitude, at least for a little while."

"Oh well, I don't know about all that."

The three teenagers blinked. He was strangely optimistic that Harry would be seeing his house elves again soon, especially, for somebody who was currently _in the middle of a war_.

"Er… Headmaster sir, I appreciate your optimism, but I'm pretty sure that-"

"If I might ask a few questions first before you believe me to be mistaken, did you ever establish a bond with Dobby? I understand his desire to be a free elf, and your desire to keep him that way, so of course I don't expect a bond of servitude, like that of a house elf and it's owner, but I am curious if Dobby's magic recognizes his _master_, the one that he follows_?_"

"Well, I'm not sure, to be honest. I mean I've never asked, and there isn't much known about house-elf magic. I don't think that you could get the answer from anyone except him, especially seeing as his case is rather… unique," Harry replied, a puzzled frown on his face, forehead scrunched up in thought. His face cleared momentarily when he realized, "But sir, why does this matter?"

"To be frank with you Harry, I'm not sure it does matter, or will matter? Nonetheless, I had a thought, and am simply exploring the possibility."

"Would you maybe like to share that thought with us?… Er, Headmaster sir," Ron added on his title as an afterthought. He'd never had the patience for Dumbledore's explanations, he admired and respected the man, he was a great wizard and bloody brilliant! But he liked to take his time explaining things, revealing all his information slowly, piece by piece, as if to prove to everybody else how smart he was, how much he knew about _basically everything_.

It didn't use to bother Ron so much, though he didn't need _anyone_ to remind him that he wasn't the smartest, but the only reason Dumbledore knew half of what was going on right now was thanks to them. Ron thought that they deserved a little bit more credit than Dumbledore was giving them, but he wouldn't be the first one to say so, he had already decided that much.

He wasn't going to cause any more waves here than necessary, they were here to save the people they loved, not make it worse for everyone, and who knew what the consequences of their changed actions would be. The less they change, the less they had to do to win the war, the better. _Kind of like trying to win a game of wizard's chess in as few moves as possible,_ he thought.

"Bonds are a very strange thing, powerful, and mysterious, but strange, and quite often… unbreakable. Life debts, soul debts, marriage bonds, bonds of servitude, time and time again we see that wizarding bonds are not meant to be broken, they're very resilient things. I myself, have seen bonds withstand a great deal of turmoil in my time, and so, of course, I wondered to the nature of any bonds that you three might have. From what I've seen the only one who has bonds, aside from familial bonds, is Harry."

"My bonds with Dobby and Kreacher you mean?"

"Precisely."

"Well, I can't speak to my bond with Dobby, like I said I'm afraid I never thought to ask about it before we were pulled here, but my bond with Kreacher is, I suppose, just like that of any other house elf and master. I mean, it was rough at first, but he seems happy now, and we try to be kind to him.

"Being nice, and showing him politeness and pleasantries made all the difference, he's as dedicated as any house elf I've ever seen, him and Dobby both. In fact, the two of them have argued on occasion about who is the better elf, we try to break it up when we see it, of course, but I have a feeling they get up to it more often when we're not around to tell them that they're both equally wonderful and we wouldn't change them for the world."

"So then, you'd say that Dobby is as dedicated to you as Kreacher is?"

"No doubt, I don't think either one of them cares more than the other, though they like to think so, and I don't think that you could find a happier, more dedicated house elf anywhere."

"And you are just as dedicated to them?"

"Absolutely, they are, both of them, just as much my family as Ron, Hermione, Teddy, and all the rest of the Weasleys are."

"Equally so to both elves, yes?"

"Definitely, they're both wonderful. It's like I said before sir, I don't think either one is any better than the other, they've got very different backgrounds, of course, and my relationships with them got off to very different starts, but as for who they are now, well I couldn't pick just one if my life depended on it."

"Hmmm."

"Headmaster sir, if I may, you still haven't really explained your thought to us, and I don't see why following this thought is, er… Important? I mean shouldn't we be focussing on Voldemort and his… Well, you know."

"Of course Ms. Granger, my apologies, I do hope you'll forgive an old man for getting lost in wonderful thoughts. Well, from the sounds of things Harry, I'd like to believe that you and Dobby likely have a bond very similar to what you have with Kreacher. It is, of course, not magically binding, which is to say that he is tied to you but not being forced to stay with you. I do believe though that his magic recognizes you as his master. I suspect the two of you have formed a bond, one as close to a bond of servitude as someone possibly can, without actually tying him to you in the way that other house elves are, making it possible for Dobby to leave if he wishes."

"Well, that's… great, I think? I mean I'm glad to hear it, but I'm sorry sir, but I don't actually see what this has to do with our current situation."

"If you wouldn't mind indulging an old man Harry?"

"Umm, sure?"

"Summon them for me please?"

"Dobby and Kreacher?"

"Precisely?"

"I can't sir, Dobby is the Malfoy's house elf in this time, and Kreacher still belongs to the black family. I've no bonds or relationships with them yet, not for nearly another twenty years."

"Well then, what's the harm in calling out? Hmmm?"

Harry exchanged a look with Hermione and Ron, they had _never_ known Dumbledore to be a _foolish old man_, but maybe the war had aged him? Made him wiser? Or perhaps Harry had not explained it right?

"I don't think you understand us, sir, it's like Harry said, he-"

"I understood what he said Ms. Granger, but I have a hunch, and I believe one of us to be misinformed on this subject. So let's consider it an experiment, for scientific purposes, shall we?"

Hermione pursed her lips, though she was sure now that that wizard had misunderstood, she couldn't argue with logic like that. She did _not_ nod her consent, very much disagreeing with this waste of time, but she settled back into her seat and sat silently.

Harry and Ron were still staring at one another with eyebrows raised and speculatory looks of their faces. When neither one could come up with a counter-argument for Dumbledore, at least she _thought _ that was what they were trying to do, Ron shrugged his shoulders and sat back in his chair, like Hermione had done, leaving Harry to puff out a frustrated breathe and face Dumbledore again.

"Yea, alright I guess. Er… Dobby. Kreacher."

Nothing happened.

"Are you calling out to them Harry, as you would if you were in your own time? Or simply saying their names aloud to placate me?"

A blush rose on Harry's cheeks at being caught out,

"I feel like a fool sir, nothing's going to happen other than my feeling incredibly embarrassed."

"Please Harry, one more go, with _feeling_."

Harry let out another huff of frustration… Or embarrassment… Or perhaps both? Then opened his mouth and said their names again.

"Dobby! Kreacher!"

And with two loud pops, the wrinkly house elves they called family were standing in front of Harry, looking very confused.


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione's jaw dropped, Harry's eyes bugged out of his head, and Ron promptly fainted.

"Master?"

Harry's mouth parted slightly, before he snapped it shut, audibly gulped, and then rushed to ask, "Dobby, do you, er… _Do you know who I am_?"

Dobby's ears flapped once, and then he shook his head.

"Dobby knows that a master called him, but Dobby does not recognize this master. You is nots being a Malfoy, and Dobby serves the Malfoy family. I's be's thinkings that I's should not have comes, but Dobby was called by a master, my's magics knows it, and Dobby always comes when a master calls."

Harry looked to the headmaster for guidance, who was leaning back in his chair, the picture of relaxation and contentment, with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. All he got from Dumbledore though, was a waving of his hand towards Dobby, who it seemed was still waiting for a verbal reply. It was as if he'd said, _go on then, answer him._

"Well, thank you very much for coming Dobby, I know you don't recognize me, or maybe trust me, but you did well."

Dobby grinned widely, and his ears flapped again, this time, Harry knew, it was in joy not worry or stress.

"Dobbys be doings good? Dobby is a good elf?"

"Yes, Dobby, you're a good elf, and Kreacher too. I don't suppose that you recognize me, do you Kreacher?"

"No, Kreacher's not be's recognizing you. But Kreacher knows a master must have called him, or he would not have allowed him's self to beens pulled away from his mistress - Kreacher serves the noble and most ancient house of black, and yous is nots being a Black. Kreacher does not know how hes be servings you, it doesn't make sense, but he must, Kreacher's magics obeys."

"Well, thank you very much for coming as well Kreacher, though I know that it was probably very frustrating knowing that you had to when you wanted to stay where you were and continue serving the black family, I really appreciate it."

Kreacher nodded his head, and both elves stood silently, waiting to hear why they had been summoned.

While they were awaiting orders, Harry looked to Hermione for help, as Ron still had not woken up and he was beginning to panic. Any decisions he made about what he did or didn't tell Dobby and Kreacher, and what he did or didn't ask them to do, he wanted to make with his friends. Friends, one of which was still unconscious, and the other frozen in shock.

"Hermione, are you okay? Are you… Hello?"

Her gaze continued on staring vacantly past his shoulder at the house elves, and if it wasn't for her occasional blinking, and the rise and fall of her chest, he might be worried that he'd gone and given her a heart attack. Could wizards and witches have heart attacks? He wasn't sure, but he didn't want to test the theory with his friends.

"Umm… Dumbledore sir, could we maybe call for another round of tea? I think she'll be needing it, and it certainly wouldn't hurt the rest of us," Harry asked, motioning towards the empty cups that had been only half full when Hermione arrived.

"Of course Har-"

"Dobby gets it for master, Dobbys will bes rights back!"

With a loud crack, the house elf was gone, and Harry breathed a breath of relief, knowing he had one less thing to worry about right now. Between his house elves belonging to him, _in this time,_ on top of fighting Voldemort, hunting Horcruxes, and not only keeping it all a secret from everyone else in this time but somehow preventing them from doing the same, he knew that he had a few very _long_ months ahead of him.

He'd thought he was going to have a _normal_ day. He should have known better, any time he's ever thought he might have a _normal_ day, week, month, or even _year,_ the universe goes to extreme lengths to give him something as not normal as possible. Still, somehow, even now, the universe is setting the benchmark higher, and higher, for how ridiculous and not normal of life Harry can live.

He wondered, not for the first time, if Bill or Charlie had slipped something in his dinner or drink one night, and this all wasn't a fantastical dream.

After Fred had died at the battle of Hogwarts, they'd all taken to trying to relight the spark in George's eyes. Although no one's attempts had worked so far, the two eldest Weasley sons had taken up the task by playing pranks and practical jokes. They'd done a wonderful job of cheering everybody else up because George wasn't the only person who had lost something, and they were all hurting inside.

But still, this seemed a little bit _too_ fantastical for his brain to come up with though, so after thinking about it, Harry had come to the conclusion that the situation they were all currently in was, most definitely and unfortunately for them, real, and he would be taking a very _long_ vacation when all this was over.

Ron, he decided, was welcome to come along, just as soon as he woke up.

He knelt down next to Ron, and seeing a steady rising and falling of his chest, started gently tapping his cheek trying to wake him up.

"Ron? Ron, can you hear me? Wake up, Ron."

Bleary eyes blinking, Ron slowly sat up, and taking notice of the remaining house elf in the room, he turned to look at Harry.

"Got any other tricks up your sleeve?"

"None that I know of, it'd be great if the whole 'can't be killed by the killing curse' thing from before still works, but I doubt it, and I'm not eager to test it either, so that should be it for now."

"Now? Before? Kreachers not be's seeing you's until now. You's is not's from here's, are you?"

"Sorry, Kreacher, but could you just give me a minute? Just as soon as everyone's well, we'll answer your questions as best we can,"

Kreacher nodded, and slowly shuffled over to the pair of young men. Snapping his fingers, he conjured a pink, foul-smelling potion for the red-headed boy still on the floor. He handed it to his mystery master, who was still kneeling next to the redhead, and then shuffled over to the curly haired one in the chair, and gave her a vial of the same potion.

"It be's for the shock. Helps to clear the mind, focus the thoughts, and slow the racing heart," Kreacher said with another nod.

Harry helped Ron drink his, as he was still a little disoriented, and then went over to Hermione and started to bring her's up to her mouth, when she finally snapped out of her daze, blinked a few times, and then drank it herself.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, he had no idea what he'd do without them. That's not to say he didn't understand their shock and their reactions, he was sure that the only reason he hadn't passed out himself, or worse, was because his joy at seeing two familiar faces he considered to be family was slightly greater than his shock, but only slightly.

Harry sat down, slouching back into his overstuffed hair and cradling his forehead in his right hand, while his friends started acting like themselves again. Hermione started acting like herself again, forehead scrunched up in puzzlement and thought no doubt as a million thoughts raced through her head, and Ron made his way back into his chair again, muttering a quiet "_bloody hell!_"

A minute later, Dobby popped back into the room, with a tea tray carrying a teapot and a china teacup full for each of them.

He placed it on Dumbledore's desk and then turned to give them their cups, stepping back beside Kreacher again once all was settled.

"Kreacher made a correct assumption while you were away Dobby, we're not from around here. I'm afraid that where we are from though is very complicated. We didn't expect to be here, and I'll be honest I didn't expect either one of you to come when I called, we're still not sure how we got here, or why I was able to summon you…" Harry trailed off for a moment, glancing up at Dumbledore before continuing on,

"While we try to figure out those answers, I'm afraid that there isn't very much I can ask you to do… Well one thing, if you could please not tell anyone, not even your other masters, that you were called here today by me, that I exist, or anything else you might have seen, heard or learned since I've summoned you. It is very, _very_ important that nobody knows I'm here yet, or at least as few people as possible, and certainly none that we can't trust. Understand?"

"Master means the bad wizards, whose fights with the most evil, dark one whose nots be liking the muggles and the muggle-borns and the half breeds, yes?"

"Your right Dobby, I certainly can't trust any of them, and I don't, none of us do. I'm fighting with the other side, or I will be as soon as it's made official"

Kreacher raised his head slightly, which had been bowed downwards before, and said,

"You's be's fighting with my master Regulus?

Harry's attention immediately snapped towards the older of the two elves.

"Kreacher, has Regulus already defected?"

"Yes, he's be's saying that they're not's being's right anymore, and he was wrong to follow's them's before."

"You're sure, he's not working with Voldemort anymore?"

Kreacher nodded his head and answered, "He's be's telling my mistress otherwise, but he tells Kreacher the truth's, he's just not wanting to disappoint his parents, like his rotten blood traitor brother be's doing. He has switched sides, but only's Kreacher's be's knowing."

"And he's still alive? Regulus is still alive?"

Kreacher nodded, slower this time, and said "He's alive… Will he's not be alive's anymore soon?"

"We're going to make sure that doesn't happen, okay Kreacher, but no, he's not supposed to be. Now, this is very important, Voldemort is going to be asking Regulus for a favor soon, he's going to ask Regulus for the use of his house elf…

Now I'm not going to tell you that you have to go, I couldn't, not knowing what you'll have to go through, as far as I'm concerned that's your own decision to make. Hopefully, Regulus will be of the same mindset as me, but either way, I think you ought to know that Voldemort's task for you will be very uncomfortable, and very, very painful."

Harry hesitated before continuing, and watched Kreacher very carefully, wanting to see how the house elf reacted to what he had said so far, before deciding how to continue on. There was something a little off about Kreacher's expression, Harry thought, he looked stricken, but also determined, they all realized why a moment later.

"If I go, will I bes helpings my master Regulus to fight the bad ones?"

"If you decided to go, then yes you would be fighting against them, and it would help our side, not just Regulus but everyone fighting, a great deal, but Kreacher I think you might be underestimating-"

"Master Regulus would do it."

"I'm sorry?"

"Whatever it is, this bad thing the bad one wants from me, if it were ups to master Regulus he woulds do its, I knows it for sure."

Harry swallowed thickly, Kreacher didn't know how right he was.

"Yes Kreacher he would, but-"

"Then so will I. Is will dos its for my master Regulus."

"Well alright then, the only other thing I can ask of you, is that after you've done all Voldemort asks of you, once you've gotten back to your house-"

"Not my house, never my house, it's mistress' house."

"Er, right, well once you've gotten back you've got to make sure that you don't tell anyone what he made you do, why he made you do it, or even where he took you. I mean it Kreacher, not one word about it, to anyone, not even if Regulus asks, okay?"

"But-"

"I mean it Kreacher, you can't take tell him anything about it. You can't take him there, or show him. Definitely, _do not_ let him do what you had to do. I'll make it an order if I have to."

Harry paused and raised his eyebrows in question, waiting to see whether or not Kreacher would agree to listen to him. When Kreacher lowered his eyes to the floor and nodded his head, Harry continued on.

"Good, now then, you'll likely need some time to recover afterward, I want you to take that time, and then as soon as you can, as soon as you're feeling well enough, I want you to slip away without being noticed, come straight to me and tell me. If I am, for whatever reason, around anyone else other than the people in this room then just says _'he called for my help' _okay?"

Looking slightly less moody at being told to keep things from his other master, and incredibly eager and determined to help protect his second favourite master, second only to Walburga Black herself, he asked, "Is there being's anything else that Kreacher can be's doing's to help protect master Regulus? Regulus is being's brave and strong, and Kreacher be's wanting's to be brave and stong's like him to help him. Kreacher wants to help's."

Harry sighed deeply, feeling bad for what he had to say next, but still opened his mouth to ask, "It's not that I don't trust you but I've got to ask and order that you answer honestly, if Regulus orders you to tell him about your excursion with Voldemort, will his order veto my asking you to keep the secret from him?"

Kreacher thought for a moment and then shook his head.

"Kreacher can't pick a favourite order, an order is being's the same importance as any other order, Master Regulus never be's trying's to give an order again's one of mistress' order's, so Kreacher's con nots bes sure, but because you's master be's asking first, I think it should be's winnings. Anything's else that you's be needing's? Keacher wants to help."

Harry looked left to Ron, and then right to Hermione, and with a shake of their head from both, Harry turned back to Kreacher and said, "There's nothing else that I can think of right now, but if something comes up I'll be sure to summon you, alright Kreacher? In the meantime, just make sure to keep our secrets and act the same as you would if you'd never met us, okay?"

Kreacher nodded his head and then with a loud pop he was gone, leaving Dobby as the only house elf in the room, who took his turn and said, "And Dobby sir? Does master be needing Dobby to do anything?"

"Aside from keeping our secrets and acting the same as you would have before like I asked Kreacher to do as well, just one thing.

I need you to look for a black, leather journal. I'm not sure if Lucius Malfoy has been given this yet or not, but I've got reason to believe that Voldemort trusts him a great deal, and will be giving this book to Lucius soon for safe keeping, if he hasn't already.

It should have T.M.R stamped into the front cover, almost like an engraving, and it will be completely blank inside. Just keep an eye out for it, and if you get the chance to do so without putting yourself in danger you can look for it in some of your master's hiding places. When you find it, I'd like you to duplicate it, leave the fake, duplicate copy where you found the original, and bring me the original, okay?"

Dobby nodded his head energetically.

"Dooby can do's this, Dobby will be doing's just as master asks, and he will make sure not to get caught, just like master be's wanting's!"

"Great, that's great Dobby, thank you. Again, make sure you keep us a secret and act just as you would have aside from this task I've given you, okay?"

Dobby nodded his head and popped away like Kreacher had done moments before, leaving the trio and Dumbledore sitting in the headmaster's office in silence. Harry heaved a deep, exasperated sigh, "I guess we're just gonna dive right in then, so much for easing into things and making as few waves as possible"

Dumbledore smiled softly, "Well surely you must be used to that by now my boy."

Harry only grunted in response, but Dumbledore was not deterred, "Of course, with all of this specialized experience you have, I assume you have some ideas, yes?"

Harry looked to Ron and Hermione before he began to answer, "Perhaps we ought to-" and was cut off by the sound of Albus Dumbledore's office door slamming open.

Sirius and James stormed in, looking very angry, and a regretful and panicked Remus Lupin rushed in behind them.

"I'm sorry, they said that they wanted to know what your favourite sweet was, for a gift! I wasn't thinking, I'm sorry-"

"Remus, it's okay. I suspect that James and Sirius would not have been stopped from finding a way up the stairs and into my office, even without your help," Dumbledore rushed to reassure the frantic marauder.

"You might trust these people, but that doesn't mean the rest of the you-know-what fighting you-know-who does. Any secret meeting you're going to hold with them, official members ought to be a part of it," Sirius said with a final nod of his head after he finished speaking.

"And I suppose that the two of you have decided that you are the best candidates, hmm?"

"Well of course," scoffed James in reply to Dumbledore's question, "We're young, fit, and incredibly smart. We're some of your most trusted allies, in your own words, and if you trust us-"

"This is not about trust, Mr. Potter if it was, and if you trusted me, we would not still be having this conversation, yes?"

"Headmaster Dumbledore sir… It's not that we don't trust you, we absolutely do, it's just that-"

"Well, I am not sure whether I should feel disappointed, frustrated, hurt, or proud that I have helped to guide such smart, strong young men to question everything, even me, in these terrible times. Maybe I 'ought to just feel all of it, hmm?"

The atmosphere was decidedly tense in the office. The room, which Harry had always considered to be large, airy and open, felt as it had shrunk in the last five minutes. Dumbledore had not once raised his voice or lost the twinkle in his eye, but having been on the end of quite a few of those scoldings growing up, Harry knew what a mistake it had been for them to enter the room, and decided that he was ready to leave it before things got any worse.

"Erm, this seems like it's going to get messy, so I think it would be best if the three of us left you to your… Well you know," Harry said, trailing off at the end as all eyes in the room turned to him. He stood up and made for the door, with Ron and Hermione following his lead, when he was stopped by Dumbledore.

"I understand your discomfort with the current situation Harry, but I admit to hoping that we could talk a little bit more. I feel that we still have much to discuss," The headmaster said with a frown on his face.

"All I was going to say in response to your question, headmaster sir, was that yes, I think all three of us have some ideas about our next steps. But I think I am well informed when I say that if you knew them, then you'd want to get involved and help out as much as you can.

And I have no doubt that you'd be incredibly helpful and offer a great deal of valuable assistance, I don't think it wouldn't be a good idea for you to be involved in the planning or carrying out of the steps and planning. It is _because_ you'd likely be inclined to help, putting yourself in a dangerous position, that I want you to stay far, far away. I'm sure you could easily take care of yourself, but you already know that we want to keep as many people safe as possible, and that includes you, so we just can't afford to be so easy going or negligent when it comes to who's involved with what we have to do. I am really sorry Headmaster sir, and I hope you don't mind-" Dumbledore cut Harry off with a small, understanding smile, and soft voice.

"Yes, yes, I understand. I admit that, in certain situations in the past, I might have been overly eager, and that some might have considered me to be a bit of a meddlesome old fool, so, perhaps, this is for the best, I do hope that if you need any help-"

"We'll come to you, of course. I suspect that we'll be seeing you soon Professor, my self especially, as I anticipate a great deal of research and theorizing needing to be done to complete a certain side project," Hermione jumped in, with a slightly unsteady voice.

She was nervous about asking for so much of the headmasters time, but she knew that she could not answer her questions about their current situation without some help. Who better to help her, she thought, other than Harry and Ron of course, than her old headmaster.

He reassured her, sending a nod and a kind smile her way, before turning back to the three marauders with a stern look on his face.

"Professor Dumbledore sir, could-could-could I maybe go with-"

"Yes Mr. Lupin, you're free to leave as well if you'd like, it's not you who I need to talk to," the headmaster said, never taking his eyes away from James and Sirius. The duo looked decidedly less confident now, but still somehow believed themselves to be in the right. They were in for a very rough afternoon, the trio knew.

* * *

The walk back to Gryffindor tower was terribly awkward, for two very different reasons depending on who you asked.

For Remus, it was because two of his best friends had just embarrassed him in front of Dumbledore, and these three teenagers who seemed to be very important to Dumbledore, and who Dumbledore seemed to trust a great deal.

For the trio, it was because firstly, they, of course, already knew where Gryffindor tower was and felt silly, and a little bit guilty, pretending to be clueless so that they could be lead around. Secondly, they were all trying to figure out a way to politely shoo Remus away so that they could get to work.

Eventually, the silence was broken by, "I'm really sorry about them, they mean well, there's just a lot that we all feel like we have to protect right now. I know that it's no excuse, but they'll get better, I promise," and then Remus whispered under his breath, "_I hope," _believing that the trio hadn't heard him.

They had

You don't hide out in the woods for nearly eight months and not train your sense of hearing to be very acute, and very, very alert.

"It's okay, really. I mean we get it, we're in the same position aren't we?"

"Yea, I guess we are…" His admission seemed to shock him, because Remus stayed quiet for a moment thinking, and a moment later he continued "I think it's just hard for them to realize that, I mean they know so little about you, I imagine they're finding it hard to understand."

"That's no excuse" Ron snarled, with a frown on his face. He wasn't finished yet, continuing on a beat later, "They've not even tried to understand us, not because they can't, they just don't want to. They're happier to take the easy path of least resistance and be openly hostile towards us, without any good reason to be. Lucky for them, we're very tolerant people."

Hermione could not help but to let out a laugh and explained, "Even when complaining about and openly insulting other people, you can't help but compliment yourself, Ronald."

He rushed to protest this fact, "I didn't just compliment me, you'll notice 'mione, that I complimented both of you as well, thank you very much."

She rolled her eyes, only bothering to barely respond to him with an "I'll be upstairs, I'm going to try to get some reading done," and just like that she was gone.

"I know that it's no excuse it's just the way they are, they tend to act first and think later, but Lily and I are trying to get through to them, and-"

"Remus, really, we understand that there's nothing to be done about it until James and Sirius decide so. As much as I hate that they're holding all the power in deciding what our stay here will be like right now, if we pushed them it would only make things worse," Harry said.

Ron jumped in, deciding to add, "And quite frankly, we have much more important things to deal with right now."

Harry shot him a look, and he jumped to say "What? It's true Harry and you know it, as great as it is that they're here, they're not the priority."

"I think it's certainly safe to say that they are _one of_ our priorities, especially considering who they're related to here, and the other thing we're trying to do," Harry said, referring to their secondary goal of keeping everyone alive, and safe.

"I'm not saying that! I'm just saying that the-you-know-what for you-know-who kind of trumps the job of trying to keep everyone-"

"I'm sorry, but what're you two talking about right now? You've lost me."

Both boys turned to face Remus, who was still standing a few feet away. There was a brief moment where Harry and Ron were frozen before they started looking at one another with panic in their eyes.

They'd gotten so caught up in their conversation and their arguments, that they forgot that he was there, and had almost let slip something very important in front of Remus that Remus could not know, at least until all of this is over. As it was, he now knew more than they hoped that anyone would before they'd won.

"It's nothing important, Ron, Hermione, and I all just have a few things we need to do, and we were discussing priorities. Listen thanks for walking us back Remus, we really appreciate it, but Hermione ought to be here for this conversation, and…"

"And I shouldn't be. I understand."

"It's nothing personal, it's just that we're kind of keeping it under wraps right now, until we're finished and it's safe, even from Dumbledore-"

"Really, I do understand, you work on your thing, and I'll work with Lily and try to get Sirius and James to smarten up a little, yea?"

"Yea, that sounds like a plan. Thank you, Remus, for not pushing. It was nice talking to you."

He gave a smile in reply, and Ron jumped in, having stayed silent since they realized that Remus was still with them, and wanting to contribute to the happy moment. "Listen, feel free to stop by anytime mate, yea?"

Remus turned back, and responded from the other end of the hall, "I'll make sure to do that Ron, thank you for extending the offer." Then he turned a corner, and he was gone, leaving only Ron and Harry standing in front of the Gryffindor common room.

They entered through the fat lady's portrait, just as Hermione had done a few moments ago, and found her sitting in front of the fire waiting for them, already with a pile of books surrounding her.

"Finally, what took the two of you so long? We've got work to do! He couldn't have been that hard to get rid of and-"

" 'Mione, how'd you manage to get these books already, how may even are there? Seven? Eight?"

"Thirteen and you didn't answer my question."

"Ron and I got distracted in a bit of a disagreement, that's all. He almost let something slip to Remus, but he didn't catch on to anything important, we cleared it up, and then came in here."

"Disagreement, what kind of disagreement?"

"Harry thinks that we ought to prioritize saving people over killing Voldemort."

"No, I don't. I think that we ought not to prioritize either objective over the other."

"Harry, I understand your reluctance, but-"

"Hermione, we've already lost them all once. The last time we did this, the last time we fought in a war against Voldemort we prioritized him. Everything was second to keeping me alive and killing Voldemort, and look where that got them. We know what we have to do, we know how to do it and where to find the Horcruxes, _and_ we know how each and every person died, and why. I can't do nothing and let them all die again, not when there's no need for it, not when I can stop it from happening for the second time-"

"But, Harry, what you have to understand is that it's not the second time for them, it hasn't happened yet."

That gave him pause, at face value what she was saying was true, but they had died. All of them, at least, for Harry, Hermione, and Ron they had. They couldn't very well discount their experiences and knowledge because things were different now. The trio had lived a life where they died and so, for Harry, it seemed, James and Lily and Remus and all the rest had been given a second chance, whether they knew it or not. And Harry wasn't going to let them waste it.

Hermione seemed to sense his train of thought and his growing determination, but she wasn't finished yet. She was all for saving people, but they were in a very unique situation with very limited options here, and they had to be smart about what choices they made.

"Whether this is our reality, a different one, or some ridiculous dream, they are alive, and you know as well as I do that no one's ever come back from the dead except for you, which means that they haven't died yet, not here. They've no idea that they're supposed to die soon, that they will die if they don't change their plans, plans that might not even be made yet.

What do you suppose we do? We can't very well go up to everyone we have a confirmed death of and tell them what we know. What we know might not even be valid anymore, who's to say that our presence hasn't already rippled out and caused a butterfly effect, changing who is going to die and how, making our experiences useless."

It was a sobering thought, one that lead to an even scarier one, which Ron had no problem voicing.

"If that could happen, who's to say it won't happen with the Horcruxes? He could decide to make them out of different objects than he did before, hide them different places than where we found them last time. I mean I don't think it could make that much of a difference, but if you say that we can kill new people who didn't die before, and save people who did die the first time around, all just by being here, well what's protecting the Horcruxes from change?"

The three teenagers paused and let that sink in, each with a growing sense of dread, because the answer was nothing. They needed a lot more information about their situation to determine what kind of unintentional impact they were having. But still, Hary knew… "It doesn't matter."

"What? Harry, how can you say that?"

"Have you gone bloody mental mate?!"

"We'll need to figure it out eventually, and hopefully work around it so as to cause as little unwanted changes as possible. But regardless of what kind of effect we're having, we're still going to decide to do the same four things that we were planning to do five minutes ago. We're going to hunt and destroy the Horcruxes, kill Voldemort, and save as many of the people that we love as we can.

You both know that as well as I do, so it's pointless to pretend otherwise. It does suck, and it'll be a major inconvenience, but in the long run, no, it doesn't matter, because it's not going to change anything. At least, not for me."

"I suppose you're right Harry, we can't afford to get distracted. We have our priorities, and a plan, as loose as it may be, we've got to stick to it."

"Maybe we ought to make it a little less loose before we act on it though, yea 'mione?"

"I think we both agree with you on that," Hermione conceded, before adding, "but for once, I've no idea where to start. Harry? Any ideas?"

"Well, which Horcruxes are in existence, and where he's got them hidden is a good start.

The diary was revealed our second year, before Voldemort came back to life, which means that Lucius must've had it before Voldemort died.

Plus, the soul piece inside of diary referred to itself as being sixteen, and if that Horcrux was made using a piece of Voldemort's soul when he was sixteen years old, then he made it when he was in school.

That could mean that it was made either at the end of his fifth or the beginning of his sixth. Regardless, he's out of school now and wagging a war, so that one definitely exists, it'll just be a matter of finding it."

"Well, we've already got a jump on that one, thanks to Dobby helping us out it's covered for the time being, what's next."

"Well the same goes for the ring, I saw him wearing it at one of Professor Slughorn's slug club meetings in one of the memories Dumbledore showed me way back when. There's actually a little bit of required reading for this one," Harry said sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, it was a long explanation, and he just hoped that he didn't mess it up.

"Voldemort went to Little Hangleton in the summer of 1943, after his fifth year at Hogwarts, to look into his birth family.

He was disappointed and disgusted, both by his pure blood uncle, who he found living in squalor and filth, and even more so when he realized that his mother had loved a muggle and that he was half blood.

He became enraged, and attacked the muggle family, and then implanted false memories of the crime and pride at having committed it in his uncle's mind, and then he stole the ring. Because of the false memories and emotions that Voldemort planted, it was a very quick trial. Voldemort's uncle went to Azkaban, and when Dumbledore found out years later what happened through Occlumency he applied immediately for the man's release, but it was too late.

He died in Azkaban a few days later, and the ring stayed Tom's little secret.

We suspected that the deaths of his father and paternal grandparents were probably the same ones that he used to make the Horcrux too, once the ring was safely in his possession, but we could never be sure. Either way, he had it once he was in school, and all his family was either dead or in Azkaban before he left school, so that one is as good as confirmed."

"Where'd he hide it?"

"Dumbledore found it in Voldemort's mother's father's old house, the summer before my sixth year.

I don't know when exactly, but when we came back for school in the fall his hand was black so we know it was there at some point during the summer months, and when I was in Voldemort's head after the Gringotts break in there seemed to be a lot of dust in the house. The entire things was practically coated in dust, and there were only a few minor disturbances in the dust where it had been hidden and, subsequently, found.

So I assume that it had been vacant for a while before Dumbledore found the ring, but I've no idea when he hid it there."

"Well, you said that all of his family was either dead or locked away in Azkaban by the time he graduated, so at the very least the house should be vacant right now. Perhaps we ought' to just check in periodically and see if the ring is there?"

"We could, but we'll have to make sure that we don't disturb any of the dust or grime. When Tom goes to check out the house and see if it would be a suitable hiding place, if he's not already hidden it there, it's got to look abandoned."

"I can try to find a spell for that, it's shouldn't be too hard to manage," Hermione said, already with a look on her face that said she was going through lists in her head, trying to find something that fit.

"Great, that's taken care of then. What's next on the list Harry?"

"Well, the locket and the cup he stole from Hepzibah Smith, after she died, when they found the body the locket and cup were missing, so he probably killed her too and then just framed her house elf for it.

We know that he turned them both into Horcruxes, he probably used her death to make one of them, but he could have killed anybody to make the second and made it at any point in time. She died in 1946 though, so at least one of those two Horcruxes should already be made.

Depending on whether he used her death to make the cup of the locket, and when exactly he hid the cup in Bellatrix's vault, it may or may not already be in place. But that's a lot of if's, and we can't raid the vault until we know for sure that it's there, even if we're not being hunted this time around, that will draw a lot of attention to us, and if it's not there we've blown our shot - he won't let her hide a Horcrux in her vault if it's been broken into. Never mind that fact that breaking into the vault of one of his known supporters could put us on his radar, if he thinks we're breaking in to sabotage him or one of his plans…"

Ron's face showed how displeased he was with their very limited and very vague information. They'd already done this one, he thought, so it should be easier, but it seemed as if there would be even more guesswork this time around. Still, they couldn't let anything slow them down, the sooner they got this taken care of the better off everybody would be.

He sighed deeply, and said, "So basically, we've got exactly as much information as we had the first time around, maybe even less based on the sounds of things?"

"Not entirely," Harry cut Ron off. "Dumbledore and I suspected that he already had six made the night he went to kill my Parents and I and that he was planning on using my death to make the seventh."

"Oh, Harry!"

"It s'alright 'mione, besides, it makes our job a little bit easier. In our original timeline, he's due to die in just a few months, so that simplifies a few things.

We know that Regulus died in the first war retrieving the locket, so that piece of his soul is in play.

The ring too, because he had it in school, but we've already covered that, and the diary as well, so moving on from those.

I suspected that he hid the Diadem in the room of requirement when he came back to Hogwarts to ask for a job the second time. He asked for a job first as he was leaving Hogwarts, and then again ten years later he came back and asked again in 1955, and that was years before he died so that's definitely in play.

The cup went missing with Hepzibah Smith's death in 1946, and we might not know who he killed to turn it into a Horcrux, and when he hid it in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault, but we can probably assume that it was definitely a Horcrux before he died, the first time, which is, again, due to happen in a few months. So, I think it's safe to assume that one is in play, even if it's current whereabouts are unknown.

The piece inside Tom Riddle himself makes six, and so that only leaves the one he was planning to create after he killed my parents and I, which is a non-issue.

The cup, the diadem, the locket, the ring, the book, and the piece of Voldemort's soul inside himself should be all that we have to worry about."

"Okay, so the book's been made, and we're actively having it looked for. The ring has been made, and we ourselves will be periodically checking for that. He'll likely be hiding the locket and calling on Kreacher to test it's defenses any day now. We know at least that the cup exists, but other than that it's a big question mark, so it's at the bottom of our list. The diadem is probably just across the school, so we can go and get that one whenever. That's five, plus Voldy makes six. Is that… Is that it? We know where most of them are, and how to get them, and how to destroy them… Can it really be that eas-"

Hermione slapped a hand over Ron's mouth before he could finish. "Don't say it! You'll jinx us!"

Ron rolled his eyes and batted Hermione's hand away. "Don't be ridiculous 'Mione, if superstitions like that exist, then Harry was jinxed at birth, his whole life has been one big, unlucky, and dangerous thing after another, and another, and another, and he's still alive, yea?"

Now it was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes. "Harry has been incredibly, incredibly lucky Ron, we all have, and I don't know about you, but I don't think now is a good time to go pushing that luck."

"Yea, well _I think-"_

"_I think,_" Harry started cutting them off, "that it's about lunch time now, and that we're about due for a break.

They both looked to him, and then to each other, and sighing, they nodded their heads in agreement, though Ron had a scowl on his face, showing his displeasure at having lost the argument, and together the three of them headed down to the dining hall.

* * *

**A.N. There was a few more things that I wanted to include in this chapter, and I really really wanted to keep going, but this chapter got away from me, and got a lot longer than I expected it to be… I'm starting to see a trend here, anyone else? Anyways, by the time I wrapped up that last scene it was nearly 7.5 k long, so I had to stop and move those other mystery things to the next chapter. **

**I struggled with writing the house elf dialogue and was honestly debating over all of it, forever, worrying over whether it was not enough, or too much. Google docs struggled along with me, and Grammarly too, they do not like house elf speak, so I suppose it's for the best that we won't be seeing them again in the next few chapters; I have other plans for the immediate future...**

**I would also just like to say that the people who manage the Harry Potter Wiki pages are actual gods(or goddesses). I don't know who's job it is to go digging through the books and movies and interviews with Jk to find all of the smallest, most random details, but you are my new favourite person. I never expected that I would need to half of the Harry Potter related trivia I do now, and I don't know what I'll do with it when I'm done with the fic, but boy am I glad that I had access to it all.**

**For this chapter, and kind of the last one as well, I hope two things for you all:**

**a)I hope that the house elf reveal bit wasn't too cringe; I wanted it to be a good surprise, but I also wanted it to be a believable plot line with reasonable explanations and mystery/intrigue that people would buy into and care about. I'll definitely be revisiting it and working on it once the story's completed and I do a re-write, but for now, it's stuck the way it is, so I really hope it's decent...**

**b)I hope that this chapter wasn't too information dump-y; I tried to make it interesting, and space out both the dialogue between characters and also all of the Horcrux info and such, but I don't know, you guy's will have to let me know how it turned out…**

**That's it for now, shout out this week goes to MinkaEsparza05, for her comment on the very first chapter: It made me laugh out loud, and that was exactly the kind of reaction I wanted to see to Dobby's survival! Lol, glad that you love and support the change.**

**I always love hearing your thoughts and feelings about the chapters, and predictions for what will happen next are always interesting, so don't hold back! A big thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review so far, and constructive criticism is always welcome. Be kind to each other in the comments section and, as always, I hope you enjoy!**

**-H.**


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